In the following ten days, cultivators continued to arrive, totaling over 700 people.
Towards the end, those who arrived were mostly in groups.
Many came as teams from sects, including several that recruited disciples in the Five Dynasties every five years.
In Yang Zhong's [Hall of Extreme Filial Piety], Yang Zhong, Yang Jian, and Yang Hong were hosting a distinguished guest.
Yang Hong's aunt,
A cultivator at the early Foundation Establishment stage.
"Jian Hong, is there a mission that brings you back this time?"
Seeing Yang Zhong hesitate to speak several times, Yang Jian took the initiative to ask.
"Fourteenth Brother, even if you didn't ask, I would have told you."
Yang Jian Hong paused, specifically glancing at Yang Hong.
The implication was clear: Yang Hong should leave.
Yang Hong was perceptive.
"Imperial Grandfather, Father, I still have some land to cultivate, so I'll be going back now."
He rose and excused himself. Yang Zhong and Yang Jian merely nodded, waving him off without any attempt to keep him,
eager as they were to learn about the important matters concerning the cultivators.
Yang Hong cupped his hands slightly towards Yang Jian Hong and turned to leave.
However, after walking a hundred zhang, Yang Hong turned and entered the shadow of a palace wall, casting a Qi Concealment spell before returning to the vicinity of the [Hall of Extreme Filial Piety].
With his cultivation, Yang Jian Hong would be unable to detect his presence.
"Father, Fourteenth Brother, for the time being, avoid contact with those rogue cultivators. They will be leaving soon, and so will we."
"Jian Hong, where are you going?"
"Three thousand six hundred li east of Daxing City, there is a great marsh called Hongtong Lake.
Hongtong Lake, with a circumference of three hundred and sixty li, was a blessed land before the great demon war, opening once every three hundred and sixty years.
This year is the day the Hongtong Secret Realm opens."
"Hongtong Blessed Land, I... I..."
Yang Hong, listening outside the door, could hear the tension in Yang Jian's voice, likely with an expectant look on his face.
"Fourteenth Brother, don't even think about it.
Let alone you, no one in the Yang family is allowed to go."
Even before Yang Jian finished speaking, Yang Jian Hong knew his Fourteenth Brother's unspoken thoughts.
"Why?"
Yang Jian asked, puzzled.
"Because you will die!
Ordinary people who enter have only a path to death."
"Don't be unconvinced. If you knew the conditions for entering the Hongtong Secret Realm, you wouldn't want to go either."
As Yang Jian Hong explained, Yang Hong outside the hall began to form a preliminary understanding of this secret realm.
The Hongtong Secret Realm was a pocket dimension created by ancient immortals, attached to the Taiyuan Continent yet existing outside its space.
It was an independent, small dimension, a separate world.
Because it was not a complete, normal space, it was not very stable, and there were many requirements for entering it.
First was the cultivation level. This space seemed to be used by immortals for testing and training their nascent disciples,
allowing only cultivators at the Fusion realm and below to enter.
However, due to the passage of time, the capacity of this secret realm had decreased.
After deliberation by the major sects, it was stipulated three thousand years ago that only disciples at the Foundation Establishment stage and below could enter.
If anyone concealed their cultivation to enter and was discovered, not only would the cultivator themselves be hunted down, but their entire sect would also face pursuit.
Therefore, to avoid wasting precious entry quotas, any cultivator not at the Foundation Establishment stage who entered would be eliminated.
Even if mortals or Qi Refining cultivators entered, they would be hunted by all who entered the secret realm.
This was merely the cultivation restriction for entry; once inside, more dangers awaited.
Although the secret realm contained abundant spiritual herbs and elixirs, and even rare ores, it was also infested with various demonic beasts.
The demonic beasts within were said to be overwhelming.
After all, three hundred and sixty years of growth and reproduction, with humans no longer a natural predator, the number of demonic beasts would naturally escalate uncontrollably.
In addition to their sheer numbers, their strength was also terrifying.
According to cultivators who survived the last time, there were numerous third-order Fusion realm demonic beasts, and a small number of Golden Core demonic beasts.
With such a configuration, it was essentially a death sentence for anyone who entered.
Just as Yang Hong raised this question, the Supreme Emperor Yang Zhong voiced it first.
"Jian Hong, according to your words, wouldn't that be sending you to your death?"
"Heh heh~ Father, don't worry. Our Luoli Sect has explored the Hongtong Secret Realm hundreds of times and has accumulated much knowledge. We know which areas are safe zones and which are dangerous ones.
The larger sects also have their own legacies. It's the rogue cultivators who will suffer heavy losses."
"Father, do you know how many rogue cultivators entered the secret realm last time, and how many came out?"
Yang Zhong shook his head and said, "I don't know."
"Over six thousand rogue cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage entered the secret realm. Less than ten came out!"
"Hiss~"
"Terrifying indeed~"
Yang Jian and Yang Zhong gasped in unison.
These were cultivators, cultivators held in high regard.
Even rogue cultivators were still cultivators.
"Fourteenth Brother, do you still want to enter the secret realm?"
"No, no more."
Yang Jian immediately shook his head, indicating he no longer dared.
He wished to cultivate not for fleeting excitement, but for longevity, and even immortality if possible.
He had no desire to die young; he had many years left to live.
Having attended to the cultivators during this period, Yang Jian had acquired several more pills.
He was confident he would live past 150 years.
He intended to live for at least another century and absolutely would not die young.
Yang Hong, listening outside for a long time, grew impatient.
Yang Jian Hong had spoken for so long about the dangers of the secret realm, but had not mentioned its benefits.
It was agonizingly slow.
"Jian Hong, since it's so dangerous inside, is there anything I can prepare for you?"
Yang Zhong actually wanted to persuade Yang Jian Hong not to go, but then he reconsidered.
Yang Jian Hong was merely an outer disciple of the Luoli Sect, not even an inner disciple.
This trip to the secret realm was an inner disciple assessment mission for the Luoli Sect.
She had no power to object, and in fact, no right to object at all!
"There actually is."
Hearing his father's words and seeing his worried gaze, Yang Jian Hong felt a warmth in her heart.
"Father, you can help me prepare some boats. Not large ones, but small, and many of them, at least a hundred.
Our sect has explored a lake where there are many third-grade, even fourth- and fifth-grade lotuses.
We plan to go and collect them this time, and we will need boats."
"No problem. I'll gather craftsmen from the Ministry of Works right away to start building small boats."
Yang Jian replied immediately, thinking of his sister about to undergo a life-or-death trial.
"Also, prepare some ducks and geese for me, live ones."
Yang Jian Hong continued.
"This is also no problem. The palace raises quite a few chickens, ducks, and geese."
Yang Jian again agreed.
"The palace? The palace raises poultry now?"
Yang Jian Hong asked with sudden curiosity.
"Heh heh~ Now the palace not only raises poultry but also cattle, sheep, and pigs.
Your nephew has also opened up a lot of land and is farming in the area of the Cold Palace."
Yang Zhong explained with a smile. The chickens, ducks, and geese were all things he had ordered raised.
They were fed scraps from Yang Hong's vegetables and bran. These poultry and livestock could grow to the level of fierce beasts, or tier one demonic beasts.
They were now the primary meat source for the main members of the royal family.
Hearing Yang Zhong praise him, Yang Hong had a premonition that his aunt Yang Hong Jian would summon him soon.
Therefore, he immediately got up to leave, walked to his calculated position, revealed himself, and then proceeded forward slowly.