What Du Yanran scattered at the mouth of the cave was a powder known as "Beast Lure Powder," a substance that functioned much like a mating hormone, irresistibly drawing in male spirit beasts.
The Hua family, renowned for their plant-bound beasts, instantly recognized the dangerous substance.
"Tsk tsk, we weren't even the ones who acted. Why are we being dragged into this mess?"
"Junior Brother, you just don't understand. If you had gallantly stepped in to stop it, maybe we wouldn't be lumped together."
"And what about you? You didn't stop her either."
"Even if I had, it wouldn't matter. She's jealous of my peerless beauty and envious that Cao Daoyou is so courteous to me while ignoring her completely."
"A woman's heart is deeper than the sea."
Their banter made no effort to conceal itself from Cao Chenfeng. His mouth twitched, but he soon resumed his usual aloof expression and quickly made his way toward the location marked on Mo Yue's map within the Fulong Mountains.
Du Yanran, having shaken off the red fox's pursuit, activated a formation plate to begin healing. Only when she was truly alone did her graceful mask fall away, revealing a contorted, resentful expression. She now held grudges against all three of them.
Though Cao Chenfeng had not wanted to travel with the Hua siblings, the pair insisted on sticking with him. With no better option, he led them to the marked location.
In front of a stone carving shaped like a dragon and etched with the characters "Fulong," Cao Chenfeng stabbed his sword into the dragon's belly. The moment it pierced the stone, a powerful suction drew him in.
Rather than resist, he allowed himself to be pulled inside.
Hua Xi and Hua Lei, spotting this, immediately lit up. Clearly, something valuable lay ahead. They followed Cao Chenfeng's actions without hesitation.
Cao Chenfeng found himself standing on solid ground again inside a narrow passageway, just wide enough for one person. Flame-shaped lamps were mounted every fifty meters, their flames burning with light from shark oil, set in copper wall sconces shaped like flying dragons—refined and built to last ten thousand years.
He stepped cautiously. Only after testing the first step did he proceed with the second, slowly making his way forward.
Hua Xi and Hua Lei, having landed in separate corridors, each drew their swords and advanced with care.
From above, the entire underground network resembled a vast maze that all ultimately led to the "Zanglong Hall."
With Mo Yue's guidance and a map in hand, Cao Chenfeng avoided any detours and reached the Zanglong Hall by the shortest route.
Hua Xi and Hua Lei were not so fortunate. They encountered swarms of bats, pursued by bees, and eventually had to violently tear through the maze to reach the final destination.
Meanwhile, relying on her memories from a past life and knowledge of the Chengli Secret Realm's strategy, Du Yanran followed close behind, arriving at Zanglong Hall just moments after Cao Chenfeng.
The palace itself resembled a coiled dragon, the open jaws forming the hall's entrance while the body formed the passageway. Confirming that this was the place, Cao Chenfeng pushed the doors open without hesitation.
Inside stood four massive red pillars, each five meters in diameter, holding up the ceiling. Winding around each column was a golden dragon. As he stepped into the hall, one of the coiled dragons stirred as if alive and slithered once around its pillar.
A glowing doorway opened within the great hall. Cao Chenfeng bowed toward the dragon pillar, then swiftly entered the gate. Once he passed through, the door vanished.
The awakened dragon turned toward the other three.
"Brothers, wake up. A human cultivator has entered."
"We saw. Why did you let him in?"
"He showed proper respect. I liked that. So I let him in."
"Aren't you worried he'll be greedy and take all the treasures?"
"He doesn't seem the greedy type. But if you're worried, I'll follow him and check."
With that, the first dragon slithered off its pillar.
"Tch. You just want to see the drama."
The other three dragons awakened as well. Each ushered one of the other three intruders—Hua Xi, Hua Lei, and Du Yanran—into separate rooms.
Afterward, the four dragons held a small meeting.
"Four people? That's too few."
"The secret realm only opens once every hundred years. Let's make this more festive and invite some others."
"Aren't you afraid the treasures will be looted?"
"Hmph. We decide what gets taken."
"Good point. Let's send a signal."
Dragon Four took on the task. Appearing in the Fulong Mountains, he manifested a golden dragon illusion and let out a resonant roar. Nearly ninety percent of cultivators in the secret realm heard it.
Like a drop of oil in boiling water, the realm was thrown into chaos.
Returning proudly, Dragon Four was promptly slapped by Dragon One's tail.
"Show-off. Now every cultivator in the secret realm is headed this way."
Dragon Four pouted and slithered dejectedly along the column before poking out half his head.
"You were the one complaining it was too quiet."
Dragon Three scolded, "You fool. Now we'll have to activate the entire underground palace."
Realizing his mistake, Dragon Four's entire body drooped. He retracted his head and even tucked in his tail.
Dragon Two flicked his tail and said, "Enough talk. People are already arriving."
Then he leapt from his pillar, gliding through the air above the hall. The other three followed. The four golden dragons moved in a specific formation. As they flew, golden light radiated from their bodies, forming tangible threads that descended into the hall.
With that, the great hall expanded. More and more doors began to appear.
The maze also grew outward, its paths shifting. Dead ends became new routes, and clear paths twisted into intricate spirals—complex enough to bury any careless intruder.
In front of Cao Chenfeng floated three light spheres, rewards for defeating a puppet at the late Foundation Establishment stage. He casually grabbed one and stepped into the next room as the gate lit up.
The same happened in the other chambers. Hua Xi and Hua Lei, guided by their companion plant beasts, each took only one light sphere.
Du Yanran, however, grew greedy. She believed that since she had passed the trials, all the rewards were hers.
After every trial, she collected all the light spheres. What she failed to realize was that only one in each set was real. The others began to fade the moment they entered her storage ring.
The first trial had been a fight against a puppet.
The second was a battle against one's own shadow—an opponent with the same cultivation, techniques, and strength. It came down to skill and insight.
Cao Chenfeng faced himself in a three-hundred-move duel. When he finally mastered the momentum of his sword, he released a strike that shattered the shadow.
However, the intense clash of sword qi had left him injured. The energy still echoed in his meridians, tearing at them from the inside.
He quickly swallowed a healing pill, sat cross-legged, and began circulating his cultivation technique to neutralize the residual force.
Fifteen minutes later, he had barely dissolved the last wisp of sword qi, though his meridians remained damaged.
When he opened his eyes, a single light sphere hovered before him. A half-open door stood to the right.
"Only one of these—the treasure or the entrance to the next level—you may choose."
Cao Chenfeng did not hesitate. He stepped through the door and vanished.