Chapter 140: The Secret Realm’s Deadly Game

The Secret Realm’s Deadly Game

He wanted to search the world for Strange Flames.

He had never imagined that one would appear before him inside the Heavenly Secret Realm.

"Master, what kind of Strange Flame is it?"

Austin’s voice carried a hint of anticipation. His fingers unconsciously tightened around the Black Mountain Saber.

Inside his spiritual sea, Akeno’s presence stirred.

Her long black hair, streaked with purple highlights, seemed to drift through an endless sea of violet flames. Her purple eyes held a rare gleam of excitement.

"True yet false, illusion without life—it should be the Death Illusion Demon Flame, ranked thirty-first on the Strange Flame List."

Akeno paused for a moment before continuing.

"If you can claim it, your strength will soar. You might even surpass those little monsters above you!"

There was genuine excitement in her voice.

Austin’s heart thumped harder.

Surpass them...

The image of the other Salvatore prodigies immediately flashed through his mind.

Damien’s terrifying Sword Intent.

Nux’s overwhelming killing aura.

And, above them all, the mysterious Patriarch who seemed to possess no limits whatsoever.

Austin smiled faintly.

He had no intention of remaining behind forever.

"Follow my guidance. Find it."

Akeno’s voice became slightly softer.

After all, Austin was her disciple.

But more importantly, he was a member of the Salvatore family—the family of a Great Emperor who was currently playing among mortals.

If she nurtured him properly, the benefits to her own future would be considerable.

Of course, there was another reason.

Her thoughts drifted briefly toward Victor.

The image of his long, shoulder-length black hair and golden eyes surfaced in her mind.

That handsome face.

That calm smile.

The way he carried himself as though the entire world naturally belonged beneath his feet.

Akeno’s purple eyes softened for the briefest moment.

She quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

This was not the time.

"Understood!"

Austin’s answer was firm.

His heart burned with determination.

His thoughts were simple.

Become stronger.

Repay the Patriarch’s kindness.

That was enough.

But after walking several steps, Austin suddenly remembered something.

His expression became awkward.

"Master..."

Akeno answered casually.

"What?"

Austin scratched his cheek.

"Why must you keep calling me ’Little Bro’?"

There was a strange silence.

For a moment, even the flames around Akeno seemed to flicker awkwardly.

"You don’t understand... this way... it sounds more intimate..."

Her voice carried an almost imperceptible embarrassment.

Austin blinked.

"More intimate?"

"Yes."

Akeno answered far too quickly.

Then she fell silent.

Deep inside, however, her thoughts were completely different.

Heh... how could I possibly share the same generation as your Patriarch?

If she addressed Austin too formally, it would feel as though she were placing herself in an entirely different position from Victor.

That would never do.

This way was better.

Each of them on their own terms.

And besides...

Little Bro sounded rather cute.

A faint smile appeared on Akeno’s lips.

-------------------

On a solitary peak deep within the Heavenly Secret Realm, the atmosphere was completely different.

The wind had stopped.

The ancient trees surrounding the mountain stood perfectly still, their branches casting long shadows beneath the pale sky.

Lucas Bluestone stood alone upon the summit.

His robes were stained with dust and blood.

The wound on his face had not fully healed.

Even now, whenever he moved his jaw, a sharp pain traveled through his body.

But the pain was nothing compared to the hatred burning inside him.

"The Celestial Secrets Token..."

Lucas slowly pulled a bronze-colored token from beneath his robes.

The surface of the token was covered in mysterious runes.

"I can tear through space and summon a Heavenly Genesis expert from my clan to enter the Heavenly Secret Realm for one hour..."

His fingers tightened around it.

A savage smile slowly appeared across his damaged face.

"I’ll make the Salvatore family suffer a fate worse than death—a thousand cuts, ten thousand torments—only then will my hatred be satisfied!"

His laughter echoed across the empty mountain.

But he did not notice the small stone several meters away.

It trembled.

Just once.

"Hostile intent toward the Salvatore family..."

A faint consciousness stirred inside the stone.

"This one wants me dead!"

The consciousness was calm.

Almost amused.

This was none other than Leandro Salvatore, the Everlasting Puppet.

Three days earlier, Leandro had entered the Heavenly Secret Realm ahead of everyone else using an ancient talisman.

During those three days, he had discovered something extremely important.

The Heavenly Secret Realm did not simply teleport everyone into the same location.

Instead, according to each person’s talent and potential, entrants were sent to different regions.

Each region contained different trials.

Different dangers.

And different inheritances.

A normal cultivator who discovered such a blessed land before everyone else would have immediately begun searching for the inheritance.

Leandro had done the opposite.

First, he attempted to refine the inheritance ground where he had appeared.

He failed.

That failure did not discourage him.

Instead, it made him more cautious.

Then he began laying formations.

One after another.

Layer after layer.

He concealed them beneath the soil, within the mountains, between the roots of ancient trees, and even inside seemingly ordinary stones.

The most terrifying of them was the Heaven-Annihilating Killing Formation.

He had established more than thirty layers of it.

And that was only one type of formation.

There were countless other spiritual arrays, trapping formations, illusion formations, and killing formations scattered throughout the surrounding region.

Leandro had essentially transformed this peaceful mountain into a death trap.

To put it simply—

Even a Stellar Grasping expert, if caught off guard, could stumble into his formation and lose his life before realizing what had happened.

Leandro’s consciousness quietly observed Lucas.

"No."

"Killing him directly would be safer..."

"But this inheritance ground is more dangerous."

"Better to let him clear the way for me."

The small stone remained motionless.

Then, almost imperceptibly, Leandro’s consciousness became colder.

"Yes..."

"Let him summon that Heavenly Genesis expert first."

"Though my formations only have a ninety-nine percent chance of killing him instantly..."

"It’s still worth the gamble."