Deep within the Original Secret Realm, chaos and mist blanketed the boundless fields like a primordial sea.
The laws of heaven and earth manifested as invisible blades, slicing through the void. Each collision produced a sharp sneer, as if metal scraped against the fabric of reality itself. Within the twisted spatial fissures, fragments of shattered stars flashed intermittently, while torrents of chaotic fog surged outward—so dense that it could not be refined or dispersed. Even the divine senses of ordinary Immortal experts were utterly blocked, unable to penetrate this layer of confusion.
Elder King Jinlun led Jiang Yan and his entourage to a halt atop a suspended obsidian platform.
Ancient runes were carved along the platform's edges, glowing faintly as they resisted the surrounding chaos and stabilized the space beneath their feet.
"Your Highness," Elder King Jinlun said, raising his hand and pointing forward, his expression solemn. "That black fissure ahead is the entrance to the Chaos Abyss. The abyss opens once every hundred years, and each opening lasts only three months. After that, the entrance seals itself. At that point, even an invincible king would be unable to break through by force."
Jiang Yan followed his gaze.
Ahead, a black crack tens of thousands of kilometers long split the void, resembling the gaping maw of an ancient beast. Within it, chaotic mist churned violently, and a low, indistinct roar echoed from the depths—savage, ancient, and enough to unsettle the soul.
Over the past month, Jiang Yan had learned of the Chaos Abyss through the silver-haired, silver-eyed woman. This secret realm was not listed among the officially designated dangerous or desperate missions of the Original Secret Realm. Instead, access was restricted exclusively to its members.
Ordinarily, only those who reached the Realm Lord level and formally became members of the Original Secret Realm would be informed of the abyss's existence by the resident elders.
But Jiang Yan was an exception.
The moment he entered Chaos City, he broke into the tenth floor of the Tongtian Bridge. Soon after, he was accepted as a personal disciple by the Lord of Chaos City himself. Though he had not publicly challenged the Tongtian Bridge again in the subsequent thirty years, figures like King Jinlun were certain of one thing—
Jiang Yan's strength was far greater than it had been back then.
That was why, the moment Jiang Yan arrived in the Original Secret Realm, King Jinlun sought him out.
"Within the Chaos Abyss," Elder King Jinlun continued, his voice heavy with warning, "the laws are disordered, and space-time itself is twisted. The abyss is divided into nine levels. The deeper you go, the stronger the origin of chaos—and the greater the danger."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"The first level is the territory of stellar-level ferocious beasts. The second level belongs to cosmic-level beasts. From the fifth level onward, it becomes the hunting ground of Immortal-level ferocious beasts. As for the bottom of the abyss…"
His expression tightened.
"There exists an invincible king."
He added, "The Chaos Green Lotus grows in the Green Lotus Pond on the ninth level. Guarding it is a beast known as the Chaos Ancestral Dragon. Its strength is unfathomable—at the very least, it stands at the invincible king level. Your Highness, you must exercise extreme caution."
Jiang Yan nodded faintly. A sharp, leaping light flickered through his dark eyes.
Danger?
To him, danger often meant opportunity.
The stronger the guardian beast, the more it proved the value of the Chaos Green Lotus.
Besides, his original core remained safely within Chaos City. Death itself held no real threat.
"Elder, rest assured," Jiang Yan said calmly, his tone filled with unshakable confidence. "It's merely an invincible-level monster. I won't fall here."
Elder King Jinlun studied Jiang Yan for a moment before finally letting out a quiet breath, the tension in his heart easing.
He knew what kind of monster Jiang Yan was.
There had been no news of Jiang Yan challenging the Tongtian Bridge again, and no one knew his current limits. Still, King Jinlun suspected that Jiang Yan had already surpassed it—only choosing not to reveal his strength.
Why keep it hidden?
As a resident elder of the Original Secret Realm, King Jinlun understood all too well the importance of protecting talents who had yet to fully mature.
Thirty years ago, Jiang Yan reached the tenth floor of the Tongtian Bridge at the stellar level, already rivaling ordinary Immortals.
Thirty years later?
King Jinlun was convinced that Jiang Yan's strength had reached a terrifying, inconceivable height.
Perhaps this youth truly could create a miracle within the Chaos Abyss.
"Your Highness," Elder King Jinlun said, handing over a jade slip. "This contains a map of the abyss. It marks the distribution of ferocious beasts and relative safe zones on the first seven levels. The eighth and ninth levels are too dangerous—no one who entered them has ever returned alive. There are no records."
Jiang Yan accepted the jade slip, sweeping it with his divine sense and committing every detail to memory.
"Let's go."
As the words fell, his figure transformed into a streak of light, shooting straight toward the entrance of the Chaos Abyss.
He didn't even activate a protective treasure.
He allowed the cutting laws of chaos to strike his body directly.
Yet the law blades—capable of shredding the physical bodies of World Master experts—fell upon Jiang Yan without leaving so much as a crease in his robes.
A faint, flowing aura surrounded him. It was as though the violent turbulence of the laws passed around him rather than touching him at all.
King Jinlun stared, stunned.
"Star Fantasy King," he asked quietly, turning toward King Xinghuan, "just how strong is His Highness Jiang Yan now?"
As the one stationed at Manor No. 111 to guide Jiang Yan's cultivation, King Xinghuan undoubtedly knew more than anyone.
"Relax," Star Fantasy King replied with a gentle smile. "His Highness's strength far exceeds your imagination. The Chaos Abyss won't be able to trap him."
Hearing this, King Jinlun finally felt at ease.
Perhaps this time, he truly would obtain the lotus seeds of the Chaos Green Lotus.
He had been stationed in the Original Secret Realm for countless years, cooperating with many Realm Lord-level members—but so far, not a single one had ever emerged alive from the depths of the Chaos Abyss.
...
The First Level of the Chaos Abyss
The moment Jiang Yan stepped inside, thick chaotic fog surged toward him, nearly solid in density.
Visibility dropped below ten meters. Spiritual power was suppressed to the extreme, barely extending a kilometer outward.
A pungent, bloody stench permeated the air.
The Demon Slayer body emerged directly from Jiang Yan's inner world. His main consciousness transferred into it, while his Earthling body retreated inward.
He glanced at the familiar status panel.
[Name: Jiang Yan]
[Warrior Realm: Realm Master Level 9 (Progress: 99/100)]
[Spiritualist: Realm Master Level 9 (Progress: 99/100)]
[Rules: Time and Space (63/100 → Dacheng), Time (35/100 Perfect), Space (63/100 Perfect), Golden Space (81/100 → Perfect), Wind and Thunder (52/100 → Perfect), Thunder and Lightning (52/100 Perfect), Light (1/100 Perfect), Wind (1/100 Perfect), Gold (1/100 Perfect), Wood (1/100 Perfect), Water (1/100 Perfect), Fire (1/100 Perfect), Earth (1/100 Perfect)]
[Thunder Prison: Ninth Level (97/100)]
[Talent Secrets: Time Stands Still, Thunderstorm, Replication, Breeding Clones, Demon Killing Domain]
[Techniques: Demon Hidden God-Killing Code — Hunyuan Lord Level (Immortal Chapter 82/100); Four-Elephant Spear Code — Top Universe Overlord Level (Immortal Chapter 69/100); Thunder Prison Suppression Code — Top Universe Overlord Level (Immortal Chapter 78/100)]
"Hohohoh!"
Violent roars erupted from the fog.
A moment later, ferocious beasts over a hundred meters long charged out. They resembled tigers, covered in pitch-black scales, a sharp horn protruding from their foreheads. Their blood-red eyes gleamed with savage greed.
Stellar-level, peak.
When they spotted Jiang Yan, they lunged without hesitation.
Jiang Yan didn't slow his pace.
A trace of his aura leaked outward.
Bang.
Invisible spatial force slammed into every ferocious beast within a thousand-kilometer radius.
Their scales shattered like paper.
Explosions rang out as skulls burst apart, blood and brain matter splattering the ground. Massive bodies collapsed, twitched briefly, and then dissolved into streams of scarlet energy that surged into Jiang Yan's body.
"Hm…" Jiang Yan raised a brow. "So this is the Breath of Scarlet. Feels a little warm—nothing more."
The ferocious beasts of the Chaos Abyss were similar to the Chaos True Spirits outside Chaos City.
True Spirits strengthened the soul.
Scarlet Breath enhanced the physical body.
"These are only stellar beasts," Jiang Yan concluded. "Naturally useless to me."
His current physique already rivaled that of a true Immortal.
More beasts rushed forward, driven mad by the scent of blood.
Jiang Yan ignored them entirely and continued deeper.
On the first level, stellar beasts were no different from ants.
His goal lay on the ninth floor—the Chaos Green Lotus.
As he advanced, every beast that approached him died without exception.
Guided by King Jinlun's map, Jiang Yan quickly reached the entrance to the second level.
Second Level
Cosmic-level ferocious beasts.
The chaos grew denser, the turbulence of laws more violent.
Monty pythons wreathed in black flames burst from the fog, spewing fire infused with law power.
Jiang Yan flicked his gaze over them.
"No wonder the mortality rate is so high."
The Chaos Abyss was essentially a nine-layer prison, each level packed with countless inmates. The moment one entered, they were besieged from all directions.
A single thought crossed Jiang Yan's mind.
His spiritual power rippled outward.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The pythons exploded instantly. Flames extinguished mid-air.
"Cosmic level… still nothing."
He stepped directly into the third level.
Third Level
Domain-level hunting grounds.
A suffocating pressure filled the air.
A shrill howl echoed as hundreds of giant silver wolves burst forth, each thousands of meters long. The leader bore a blood-red sigil on its forehead—Realm Master Level 1.
"Outsider," it snarled, speaking human words. "Trespassers die."
Jiang Yan merely smiled faintly.
"Let's see what a Realm Master can do."
Thunder erupted.
In an instant, all but the leader were annihilated.
Moments later, the leader followed.
Only when Jiang Yan reached the fifth level did the Immortal-level scarlet breath begin to truly strengthen his body.
Ten days later, he stood before the eighth floor.
"Worth the trip," Jiang Yan murmured, eyes gleaming. "My life level has transformed."
Without hesitation, he stepped forward.
Eighth Level
Purple chaos surged.
Time and space twisted violently.
A deafening roar shook the abyss.
From the fog emerged a colossal unicorn-shaped beast, ten thousand meters tall, golden-scaled, antlers gleaming like suns.
Peak King-level.