Urban Extraordinary Immortal Doctor
Chapter 1399: Entering the Lotus Pool Secret Realm!

Chapter 1399: Chapter 1399: Entering the Lotus Pool Secret Realm!

The once-every-five-years "Heavenly Pride Rankings" competition concluded, leaving nearly two thousand disciples from dozens of Innate Sects across the True Martial Realm departing in disappointment without securing a spot to enter the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm."

Meanwhile, the martial artists who ranked within the top one hundred on the "Heavenly Pride Rankings," along with their sect elders, stayed in the valley to conserve their energy, waiting for the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm" to open early the next morning.

Additionally, a handful of martial artists who failed to secure entry to the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm" refused to leave in resignation.

They lingered along the perimeter of the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm," shrouded by a mysterious barrier that spanned hundreds of miles, hoping to find a flaw in the barrier and gain entrance.

That night, the valley outside the entrance of the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm" was eerily silent. Hundreds of martial artists each chose a spot to sit cross-legged and conserve their energy, making their final preparations for entering the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm" the next day.

The members of Ruoshui Palace did the same.

Except for one person—Fang Bai.

At that moment, Fang Bai stood quietly at the entrance to the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm," gazing at the dense mist so impenetrable even his Divine Sense could not pierce it. His eyes shone brightly.

In his previous life as the Supreme Immortal Emperor, Fang Bai had already discerned that the so-called "Lotus Pool Secret Realm" was, in fact, a barrier created by an immensely powerful being using Supreme Immortal Power.

If the True Martial Realm itself was an enormous, expansive barrier, then the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm," spanning several hundred miles, was a miniature barrier nestled within it.

"It seems the Celestial Ladder atop Heaven-Reaching Peak might very well be the entrance from the True Martial Realm to the Three Thousand Great Worlds! This must be the deliberate design of the powerful being who created the ’Lotus Pool Secret Realm,’ providing an opportunity for the top-tier experts of the True Martial Realm to ascend the ladder, enter the Three Thousand Great Worlds, and pursue even higher realms of Martial Dao!"

Fang Bai murmured.

Fang Bai had long suspected that the True Martial Realm had multiple passages to the Three Thousand Great Worlds, but locating them was no easy task. Now, having discovered that the Celestial Ladder in the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm" was one such passage, his heart naturally brimmed with joy.

As long as he could return to the Three Thousand Great Worlds, Fang Bai would be standing once more at the starting line of his Martial Dao from his previous life. With the memories of his past stored in his mind, he was confident he could propel his cultivation and power into rapid growth.

However, Fang Bai was uncertain if his current strength would be sufficient to conquer the highest eighty-one steps of the Celestial Ladder.

A surge of impulsiveness arose in Fang Bai’s heart—he wanted to try.

Only by attempting it would he know what cultivation level and strength he would need to return to the Three Thousand Great Worlds via the Celestial Ladder.

Then he would devote himself to cultivation, striving for the day he possessed the power required to ascend the highest steps of the ladder.

In his previous life, Fang Bai had been capable of using his Supreme Immortal Power to create miniature barriers. And as for the method to break through the barrier of the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm," he already knew it well.

But unfortunately, given his current weak state, he was powerless to break the barrier.

It was akin to discovering a mountain of gold but lacking the ability to mine it—a helpless lamentation.

Thus, Fang Bai could only resign himself to waiting until early the next morning when the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm" would open, entering alongside the hundred martial artists from various Innate Sects.

To ordinary people, one night might feel interminably long.

But for martial artists accustomed to seclusion lasting ten days, half a month, or even longer, a single night passed in the blink of an eye.

The next morning, at dawn, as the first rays of sunlight illuminated the valley, disciples from various Innate Sects rose one by one, their expressions filled with excitement as they flocked to the entrance of the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm."

"When sunlight falls upon the mist between the two peaks, the entrance to the ’Lotus Pool Secret Realm’ will open. About a hundred breaths later, it will close automatically. So we mustn’t delay and should enter quickly, or we’ll have to wait another five years. Mm, after completing our forty-nine days of training inside, we will be able to exit during the next opening of the entrance."

Gu Yan said softly to Fang Bai.

Fang Bai nodded, indicating he understood.

Under the anticipation-filled gazes of over a hundred martial artists, several dozen breaths later, just as Gu Yan had said, when the morning sunlight pierced the mist ahead, the dense fog dissipated as though swept away by a strong wind.

Subsequently, a massive Essence Energy Gate, shimmering like rippling water, appeared before the crowd.

Under the sustained illumination of the morning sunlight, the Essence Energy Gate began to tremble violently. Then, near its base, a fissure roughly one zhang wide opened up.

"The ’Lotus Pool Secret Realm’ is open!"

"We need to hurry inside!"

"Move faster up front!"

...

As the fissure emerged, the over-a-hundred martial artists outside the Essence Energy Gate stirred into chaos. Those farther back began shouting loudly, jostling and urging those ahead to move inside without delay.

"After entering, I’ll head to Heaven-Reaching Peak to ascend the Celestial Ladder along with Elders Qiu, Mo, Gu, and Liu. You two should proceed to the Seven-Colored Lotus Pool for your cultivation. Once forty-nine days have passed, we will reunite outside the Lotus Pool Secret Realm."

Fang Bai instructed Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue beside him before joining Divine Fire Sect’s Gu Yan and Liu Che, as well as Ruoshui Palace’s Qiu Hanyan and Mo Chunlan, in heading toward Heaven-Reaching Peak—the highest summit of the Heaven-Reaching Mountains within the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm."

For Universe Level martial artists like Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue, the aim of entering the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm" was to immerse themselves in the Seven-Colored Lotus Pool, striving to break through to the next rank.

But Fang Bai, together with elders Qiu, Mo, Gu, and Liu—all Innate Experts—had their sights set on the Celestial Ladder atop Heaven-Reaching Peak.

Though the Seven-Colored Lotus Pool held wonders, it could do little to advance the cultivation of Innate Experts like them. Only the enigmatic and awe-inspiring Celestial Ladder, brimming with boundless pressure, could ignite their passion.

"Be careful!"

Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue each uttered a reminder to Fang Bai before departing with nearly a hundred disciples from various Innate Sects toward the Seven-Colored Lotus Pool.

As they moved, a peculiar anxiety and reluctance unexpectedly welled within the two women’s hearts.

The reason for these feelings was unclear, but the women’s innate instinct told them that during the forty-nine days spent within the "Lotus Pool Secret Realm," something unforeseen might occur.

"Let’s go too!"

Watching Dongfang Rushi and Baili Mingyue leave, Fang Bai glanced at Heaven-Reaching Peak several miles away, took a deep breath, and quickened his pace.

The four elders from Divine Fire Sect and Ruoshui Palace followed closely behind, their faces alight with eager excitement.

The four elders could not help but envision the possibility that, with Fang Bai’s participation, they might ascend to higher levels of the Celestial Ladder this time—perhaps even reaching the Innate Perfection Realm and standing atop the Martial Dao pinnacle of this world.