The blinding flash of the Spatial Rift was abruptly replaced by the stunning reality of the Secret Realm.
"Bam!"
Vahn Necrotis found himself slamd onto the earth of a entirely new place.
After looking around, he found he was alone.
The chaotic nature of the dinsional passage ant everyone including Seraphina and Lilith had been scattered, spawning randomly across the landscape.
Vahn quickly scrambled to his feet, taking in the environnt. It was a realm of impossible geography: floating islands hung suspended in the air, defying law of gravity, while towering, jagged mountains rose impossibly high, piercing the low, mist-shrouded sky.
In the distant clouds, he could even see the faint, colossal shadows of gigantic creatures, hinting at the terrifying native fauna of this hidden domain.
He watched everything with a predatory wonder, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of unlimited resources.
But first he needed find his two Wives.
He quickly focused on the miraculous bond they shared.
Vahn could sense three subtle, invisible threads of spiritual energy leading away from him. These threads confird his bonds with the three Saintesses he had truly made connection with:
First one was a shimring White thread leading to Seraphina (Light).
The second one was a dark, smoky Black thread leading to Lilith (Darkness).
Lastly, a restless Red thread leading to Flama (Fire).
The closest, most stable thread was the White thread, indicating Seraphina was geographically nearest to his current location.
Vahn ntally filed this information. He decided to first survey his surroundings to locate any imdiate threats or assets. He needed a vantage point.
He channeled his Internal Energy and unleashed the Fire Phoenix Wings.
This powerful movent technique was just the thing he needed.
Buzz!
Instantly, two blazing wings of fire materialized on his back
Whoosh!
He imdiately soared up onto the sky.
However, the ascent lasted only a few startling seconds before an overwhelming, invisible pressure slamd down upon him.
He lost all lift and plumted back down like broken kite, hitting the ground with a loud Bang.
He quickly suppressed his phoenix wings, brushing the dirt from his newly revealed black robes.
Only then did he truly understand the Secret Realm’s greatest restriction: No one can fly here.
This single, simple law instantly changed the dynamics of the chase. All aerial supremacy was gone. The entire conflict would be fought on the treacherous ground of this secret realm.
Vahn wanted to curse the realm’s creator for the ridiculous restriction. But he stopped himself instantly. Why risk offending a being capable of establishing such powerful realm laws? He didn’t dare.
Putting all jokes aside, he focused on the imdiate course of action:
"First, I should reunite with Seraphina and Lilith, then we can search for the hidden Treasure together."
He sensed the faint pull of the three threads. The white thread leading to Seraphina was strongest and closest.
Following that faint guidance, Vahn set off.
His walk soon transitioned into a rapid sprint. The raging wind brushed past his body, and the sunlight, unusually bright and intense in this realm, shone down on the rugged terrain.
His speed was fast because he need to secure his assets and avoid the inevitable pursuit from the righteous prodigies.
He ran for several minutes until the white thread’s path beca impossible to follow.
Vahn stopped abruptly.
The white thread did not lead across the ground, but pointed steeply upward on the sky.
Before him, the terrain dropped into a canyon, and on the other side, an enormous floating island hung silently above the chasm.
Seraphina was clearly on that island.
Flying wasn’t an option. The distance and height made a simple jump impossible, even with the strongest movent techniques.
The only path between his position on the ground and the floating island was a single, imnse, moss-covered vine. It was thick as an ancient tree trunk and anchored itself to the ground nearby, stretching vertically to cling to the underside of the floating landmass.
It was the clear, intended path.
Vahn smirked. The creator of this realm loved restrictions, but they also loved puzzles.
Nevertheless, he approached the colossal vine, prepared for the arduous climb.
Vahn gripped the thick, rough surface of the colossal vine, beginning his vertical ascent.
The massive stalk was difficult to scale, requiring him to channel steady bursts of spirit energy to assist his grip and propulsion.
As he reached the middle of the climb, curiosity made him glance down.
He looked and a wave of raw survival instinct hit him.
The sheer height was terrifying. If he fell, even his formidable cultivation base wouldn’t guarantee survival against the jagged abyss below. The realm’s no-fly rule was a deadly serious constraint.
Buzz! Buzz!
Just then, the vine began to shake violently. Several small, fiercely territorial yellow monkeys with powerful limbs and intelligent, aggressive eyes ca scrambling down the vine at incredible speed.
"Kikiki–kyaa! Kyaa!"
"Ooh ooh! Ah ah!"
They chattered and screeched, clearly viewing Vahn as an intruder attacking their high-altitude territory.
To Vahn’s surprise, one of the larger monkeys stopped a few feet away, its chest puffed out, and spoke in a surprisingly clear, if high-pitched humna voice.
"Human, get down! This is the domain of the Stone Monkeys! Retreat now, or you will be slain!"
Vahn tried to talk it out, hoping to avoid unnecessary conflict. "I an no harm to your territory. I am only passing through to the top. Allow to proceed, and I will be gone after I et my friend there."
But the monkeys didn’t listen. They roared in unison, their aggressive posturing escalating into an imdiate assault.
"Sheeeen.."
Vahn sighed, drawing his Long Saber. The need for talk vanished. He needed to make a clear, swift statent.
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh..."
The monkeys were also fast, possessing excellent agility and utilizing a surprising martial art: the Stone Monkey Fist. They launched coordinated, rapid attacks, their small fists striking with the impact of hardened stone.
However, Vahn’s power was simply overwhelming for these poor creatures.
He didn’t engage in lengthy exchanges. His Long Saber flashed with cold, black energy, moving with ruthless precision. Within seconds, a few of the aggressive monkeys were sliced down, falling from the vine to be instantly pulverized on the distant ground below, turning into unrecognizable at paste.
The monkey leader, seeing the devastating, instant casualties, abandoned its bravado. The primal instinct for survival took over. It chattered frantically, raising its hands in a clear sign of surrender.
The leader had no choice but to imdiately cease the attack and allow Vahn to continue his climb up to their ho on the floating island.
The path to Seraphina was now open.
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