The moment I flipped over the domino in my hand, I couldn't help but be greatly surprised; it was blue, meaning I had been chosen. Soon, the eighteen spots for entry into the Sacred Domain were settled. Our side comprised myself, Master Jian Li, Yun Ju, Gao Jing, Bi Yan, and Feng Yuanming. The alliance between the White Tiger Alliance and the Brotherhood consisted of Luo Xiao, Luo Kai, Luo Fang, Luo Zhen, Mo Yin, and Mo Ling. The Azure Dragon Gang and the Black Tortoise Alliance comprised Nalan Qiushui, Nalan Qiuyun, Hong Tian, Hong Xiao, Lei Ao, and Yan Lie. While this outcome wasn't what everyone ideally wanted, no one voiced any objection. After all, the process was fair; no one had drawn their strongest possible lineup.

“We adapt to whatever comes,” Jian Li said to me, Yun Ju, Bi Yan, and the others, his voice grave. “I have a persistent feeling this won't be as simple as it seems.”

“With only six people per faction, it’s hard for them to pull any tricks, isn't it?” Gao Jing remarked.

“Perhaps,” Feng Yuanming conceded. “It’s always better to be cautious.”

I nodded subconsciously. Until the final moment, no one could truly predict the outcome. The only certainty was that this operation would be incredibly perilous. Though only eighteen individuals were involved, every single one dispatched by their respective sides was an elite master—a situation where everyone had a chance, yet no one was truly secure.

The personnel having been selected, the three factions set up their temporary camps nearby, immediately beginning to discuss strategies for the upcoming mission. As the saying goes, plans seldom keep pace with reality, and perhaps this unexpected result caught everyone off guard.

Around the encampment, younger disciples, led by several elders, formed tight defensive perimeters. At this juncture, the three factions had already cast off all pretense; conflict could erupt at any moment, demanding vigilance from all sides. Hundreds of meters away, the members of the other two camps maintained equally wary stances, watching each other with suspicion. It was hard to imagine that these three groups had once fought side-by-side as comrades, cooperating wholeheartedly against powerful foes. The swift turn of events truly evoked a deep sense of melancholy and helplessness.

It was then that Feng Qingtian and I, along with others, finally learned how the main force had managed to defeat the Iris Cult Master and the Bull Demon King after my departure. Essentially, the methods used against both demon lords mirrored the old ambush tactics employed against the Evil Centipede and the Woma Patriarch. Though the process was desperate and chaotic, both monsters were ultimately slain at the critical juncture. Although I wasn't directly involved, the ambush against the Iris Cult Master claimed nearly two thousand lives, and the casualty rate against the Bull Demon King was even higher, reaching four thousand. The Yun family alone paid the price of three hundred lives. This attested to the sheer terror and brutality of those two battles.

However, the heaviest losses occurred after the Bull Demon King was killed, when the three factions immediately turned on each other in a bloody melee. Although the Yun family and Master Jian Li were somewhat prepared, they still lost over two hundred men.

The alliance formed by the Azure Dragon Gang, the Black Tortoise Alliance, and the Five Great Families suffered an astonishing six thousand casualties during their confrontation with the joint assault from the Brotherhood and the White Tiger Alliance. The losses were split almost evenly, meaning neither side gained a clear advantage.

Calculating the total, the casualties from this trip into the Illusory Realm had reached a staggering ten thousand, a number that chilled the blood. And this grim tally, it seemed, was destined to grow even further.

Inside the main tent!

Jian Li, Yun Ju, and the others wore expressions of profound gravity.

“You have all seen the situation,” Jian Li stated. “Only six members per faction will enter the Sacred Domain. Though the numbers are fewer and the situation appears less complex, I am certain things are not as simple as we imagine.”

“Indeed. This plan was proposed by the Brotherhood; they must have specific countermeasures prepared,” Jian Qiu added.

“So, let us discuss what we must do next,” Yun Ju urged.

“With only six people per faction, things might simplify,” Feng Yuanming mused, “but what truly concerns me is Nalan’s ‘Turtle Hiding, Serpent Swimming’ technique—what exactly is this killing move, and can we truly triumph against it?”

“That is precisely what worries me,” Jian Li replied, turning to me. “If a melee truly breaks out, Master Xingchen and I will join forces to confront Nalan Qiushui. The rest of you must focus on disengaging and locating the Blood-Red Demon Sword and the Blade of Destiny. The Sacred Domain isn't vast; finding those two items shouldn't be difficult.”

“Agreed. You and Xingchen will tie down Nalan Qiushui. No matter how formidable he is, you two are not lacking in speed. Even if you are outmatched, escape should be possible.” Feng Yuanming and the others nodded reflexively.

I felt a pang of surprise. This elder of the Feng family was truly something—judging us incapable of defeating Nalan Qiushui before the fight had even begun. It was rather disheartening. Yet, seeing the consensus on everyone’s face, I began to secretly wonder just what kind of ultimate technique this 'Turtle Hiding, Serpent Swimming' was to make such top masters so wary.

Meanwhile, Feng Qingtian and Tong Lei watched me with complex expressions, clearly thinking something unsaid. But I could sense their deep dissatisfaction. Youthful pride inevitably breeds competitiveness. The gap between them and me, however, seemed to widen inexorably, an unavoidable reality. Their exclusion from this operation had undoubtedly left them unbalanced, a feeling I could understand.

Though I couldn't know their exact thoughts, I was sure that given their proud and competitive natures, they were secretly training relentlessly in private.

“Of course, this is only one possible scenario,” just as I was feeling a touch of self-satisfaction, Jian Li continued, “Nalan Qiushui must also worry that others might find the Blood-Red Demon Sword before him. Therefore, the likelihood of an immediate fight upon entering the Sacred Domain is slim. The alliances—the White Tiger/Brotherhood joint force, and Nalan Qiushui’s coalition with the Azure Dragon Gang and the Five Families—are all fundamentally based on seizing the Demon Sword. Thus, true mutual trust cannot exist between them.” Here, Jian Li’s confidence shone through: “We are different; we share a common goal and are partners who can genuinely trust one another. I believe the final victory will surely belong to us.”

“Well said,” Feng Yuanming commented with emotion.

Everyone present nodded unconsciously. Indeed, our cooperation was founded on the absolute destruction of the Blood-Red Demon Sword, not its capture or possession. This single point made us inherently more united and trusting than the other two parties—it was our greatest bargaining chip.

“Naturally, we must have confidence, but we cannot afford to let down our guard,” Jian Li warned. “Whether it’s Nalan Qiushui, Luo Xiao, Hong Tian, or Mo Yin, they are all cunning, seasoned old foxes. I won't even detail their methods.” As he spoke, Jian Li noticed me, Feng Qingtian, and the other younger generation staring at him with peculiar looks. He suddenly realized that compared to Nalan Qiushui and the others, he himself wasn't so different; in the eyes of the younger generation, he too was an old fox who had seen too much.

He coughed awkwardly, instinctively touching his nose, but pressed on: “The probability of an immediate fight upon entering the Sacred Domain is low. Perhaps they will scatter to search for the Demon Sword. If that happens, we can only pray our luck holds out, allowing us to find it before they do. Otherwise, if they secure it first, it will all be over.”

“…” Jian Li had voiced the outcome everyone most feared. Every face tightened with anxiety and resignation. Luck, after all, was uncontrollable. While everyone seemed to have an equal opportunity upon entry, the final result remained unknowable.

“If our luck is good and we find the Blood-Red Demon Sword first, the most crucial part then becomes how to safely transport it out of the Illusory Realm,” Jian Li continued, rummaging through his pack and pulling out a scroll, dark blue and black. It resembled a Return Scroll, but I instantly knew it was a Dungeon Escape Scroll, and I understood Master’s plan.

“This is a Dungeon Escape Scroll,” Jian Li said grimly. “The Dragon Shadow Villa once held ten of these, but nine were consumed exploring the passage into the Illusory Realm. This is the last one.” He carefully handed the scroll to Yun Ju. “Whoever among our six finds the Blood-Red Demon Sword, it will be your responsibility to use this scroll to exit the Illusory Realm with the sword and ensure its destruction.”

“…” Yun Ju’s expression shifted with restrained emotion as he accepted the scroll and carefully tucked it into his pack.

“In short: adapt to circumstances!” Jian Li concluded. “Upon entering the Illusory Realm, our six will divide into three teams of two, each pair tasked with finding the Blood-Red Demon Sword. Master Xingchen and I will be one team, Yun Ju and Gao Jing another, and Feng Yuanming and Bi Yan the last.”

“Yes!” we replied in unison.

“Of course, it would be best if we manage to find the Demon Sword ourselves,” Jian Li’s face darkened considerably. “But no one can predict the final outcome. If the Blood-Red Demon Sword falls into the hands of the other two factions…” He turned to Yun Peng, “We rely on Elder Yun to make a decisive choice.”

“…” Lu Tong and several Yun family elders visibly paled, then hardened their expressions. “Completely destroy the exit passage from the Illusory Realm. Let no one leave here alive.”

“…” While I had anticipated my master might have a contingency, the ruthlessness of this measure far exceeded my expectations.

“It is unavoidable,” Jian Li sighed, sensing the shock shared between me and the younger generation like Feng Qingtian. “If the Blood-Red Demon Sword is seized by others, the consequences will be catastrophic. Everyone who participated in this operation will be killed.” Jian Li’s face was suddenly laced with terror, as if recalling some horrific past event. “You have not seen how terrifying that Demon Sword is. Rather than letting it reappear on the continent to wreak havoc after we die, it is better that it remains temporarily trapped here, waiting for our descendants to organize another force to enter and destroy it utterly.”

“Under no circumstances can this Demon Sword be allowed to leave the Illusory Realm,” Lu Tong affirmed.

“Which means if we fail to secure it, none of us can possibly leave here alive,” Feng Qingtian stated nervously.

“Perhaps,” Yun Ju said. “By now, Yun Shang and the others should be nearly ready. Once they receive our Thousand-Mile Telepathic Signal, the passages from the first level to the sixth will be detonated simultaneously. At that point, even if Nalan Qiushui or Luo Xiao seize the Blood-Red Demon Sword, they won't be able to escape.”

It was only then that I dimly recalled Yun Shang had never appeared; she was executing this highly specialized task. I had known earlier that the Sacred Domain was sealed by a Dragon-Severing Stone, a mechanism designed to trap even Kaoga—who possessed the Demon Sword—inside to die.

This revealed the terrifying depth of the Yun family’s mastery of mechanisms. Yun Shang specialized precisely in this field. Thinking of it, I couldn't help but admire the far-sightedness of these old foxes.

But could the plan truly proceed as envisioned? I believed that Nalan Qiushui, Luo Xiao, and Mo Yin must also have their own final countermeasures prepared. It was simply that we couldn't fathom them yet.

The main body of the force proceeded along the fork leading directly south from the Bull Demon Altar. Perhaps because the pretense was dropped, the three factions no longer reorganized themselves along previous professional lines. Instead, they formed three massive phalanxes, advancing shoulder-to-shoulder, yet constantly vigilant against each other, looking as if a renewed battle could break out at any instant.