Chapter 23: The Master of Beast Island — Chen Xi

Upon entering, the first thing that caught his eye were the various cat nests and cat climbing platforms nailed onto the walls around him. The furnishings inside the house were not the usual ones commonly used by ordinary immortals, everything had been specially designed.

Regardless of height or material, every piece of furniture had corners wrapped with cat scratching posts made of hemp rope, with steps on the sides for the cats to climb. At the top, numerous silk tassels adorned with bells and bird feathers hung down. As for the floor, it was covered with soft cushions.

No matter from which angle, the place exuded a lazy, comfortable vibe. It was far from the deadly trial ground that immortals might dread upon hearing about. In fact, it resembled more of a paradise for a cat, possibly designed by a powerful immortal to pamper their feline companion.

So, where was the promised life-or-death trial?

System: Discovered the Beast Taming Secret Realm inheritance, which is equivalent to an advanced exam on Earth.

Chen Xi: …

The system, which rarely spoke, suddenly uttered this sentence, leaving him somewhat speechless. Although the content seemed strange, it served as a reminder. After all, no matter how safe this place seemed, it was still a secret realm, so caution wouldn’t hurt.

As expected, ten minutes later, in a hidden corner, Chen Xi found a line of ancient seal script. The general meaning was: The formation is broken and needs to be repaired. Those who can repair it will be able to receive the inheritance of Beast Island.

Formation?

Chen Xi took out the Myriad Phenomenon Chessboard and carefully examined it. He then gasped in shock. This cave, which appeared to be for resting and leisure, was actually filled with various large and small killing formations. The key was that these formations were interconnected—pull one, and the entire system would be triggered. As for the heavenly laws they followed, they were completely at odds with each other.

Even though Chen Xi had already studied over fifty volumes of 【Formation Fragment】 he still couldn’t make sense of it at a glance.

Just then, a very smug voice rang in his ear: “Tsk! After waiting for ten thousand years, it’s finally here. The trial is now open, with a time limit of half an hour.”

Half an hour? That’s just one hour… And this voice… Chen Xi felt an inexplicable familiarity, but the changes happening around him didn’t allow him to dwell on it.

It felt as though day was suddenly consumed by night. The vast sky was swiftly filled with stars, so many that they nearly drowned half the sky. Even the walls of the cave were bathed in silvery starlight, creating a dreamlike, wondrous scene.

But Chen Xi had no interest in appreciating such a breathtaking sight. He instinctively activated his defense aura. He finally understood why so many immortals failed to survive the secret realms.

It was terrifying. The overwhelming pressure, though devoid of murderous intent, still made one instinctively tremble with fear. What was worse, this terrifying force was released by a formation that hadn’t even been triggered yet.

Fortunately, Chen Xi was, by chance, a formation master.

—

Although there were some dangers on Chen Xi’s side, overall, it remained relatively comfortable. On the other side, however, for the Immortal True Sword, it was a true life-or-death struggle.

As though trapped in the Asura realm, the Immortal True Sword’s team entered the secret realm and was immediately surrounded by deadly killing intent.

The sky was ink-black, and the ground was a reddish-brown from dried blood. Scattered everywhere were stark white skeletons, and in the air around them, enormous eyeballs hovered, layered upon each other, staring at them with cold, unblinking gazes.

Slaughter, wailing, fear, and uncontrollable madness. This was a path paved with human lives, and to walk through it alive, one had to be ready to face death.

“No! No!” Some of the less experienced immortals had been so frightened by the scene that they lost all courage. They kept retreating, trying to flee this hellish situation. But no sooner had they taken a step than their bodies were severed from their heads.

The infant immortal floated in midair, stunned, watching the corpse below that had already lost all resemblance to its former self. He was completely dazed. But reality soon dealt him a greater blow: a sword suddenly pierced through his chest, and shortly after, the spiritual energy in his immortal fetus was violently devoured, turning into one of the best supplements that the sword’s owner could find in the secret realm.

His soul was scattered.

This was the real scene one should expect in the Beast Island Secret Realm. If one wasn’t strong enough, death would be the only result. Standing at the back of the team, the Immortal True Sword, who was already prepared, curled the corners of his mouth into a cruel smile. Then, he began walking forward, stepping over the corpses of his fellow disciples, one step at a time, heading toward the final trial.

Much like Chen Xi on the other side, the Immortal True Sword was only one step away from passing the trial.

This was the first time in ten thousand years that anyone had managed to come this close to succeeding in the Beast Island Secret Realm. And not just one person, but two. The atmosphere in the secret realm grew subtle, and this change also reached Beast Island.

The first to feel it were the Celestial Beasts.

The inexplicable pressure made them restless. Even the Moonshadow Celestial Beasts that Chen Xi was looking after started running around in agitation. The Moonlight Celestial Beasts waiting at the entrance to the secret realm extended their claws and dug into the ground as if it could ease the anxiety within them.

As for the immortals waiting outside the secret realm, they were equally oppressed by the heavy atmosphere. Now, even breathing felt difficult for them.

As time passed, the feeling of an impending storm grew more intense. A sense of something monumental about to happen lingered in everyone’s hearts, and it couldn’t be shaken off.

“Chen Xi… Could he really pass the trial?” Hesitated an elder who had sent juniors into the secret realm multiple times. He was extremely familiar with the opening process of the Beast Island Secret Realm. But in his memory, he had never seen anything as strange as this before.

No one else could answer, because they didn’t know the truth. And in their hearts, they shared the elder’s doubts.

—

Inside the Immortal Palace of the Immortal Wuyi, Immortal Wuyi paced back and forth in frustration. It had already been more than half a day since Chen Xi and the others entered the secret realm, yet there was still no news.

He had originally believed that with Immortal True Sword well-prepared and with the support of Li Qianling, everything would go smoothly. But unexpectedly, things weren’t progressing as Li Qianling had described, where it would only take half an hour to finish. Instead, they were stuck inside, with life or death unknown.

As for Chen Xi…

Impossible. If even the young master couldn’t succeed, then Chen Xi had no chance but death! And it was possible that Li Qianling had already killed him by now.

Immortal Wuyi muttered continuously, as if trying to force himself to believe it. Yet, this behavior, like a display of concealing his true thoughts, only revealed his inner turmoil. Yes, Immortal Wuyi was afraid. He was afraid that Chen Xi could actually seize the Beast Island inheritance.

But things went against his wishes. Inside the secret realm, Chen Xi was successfully repairing the formation and had already entered the final stage. At this moment, Chen Xi was still immersed in the profoundness of the formation, unable to extricate himself.

—

If Chen Xi’s knowledge of formations before was entirely given by the system’s golden finger, now, within the Beast Island Secret Realm, he had come to clearly sense the beauty of the formation’s path through the process of repairing it. Even those vague fragments of the heavenly laws seemed to subtly enlighten him.

The path of formations was the path of control. When grand, one could control the heavens and earth, alter the stars. When small, one could stir dust, a butterfly’s wing flapping, and even move mountains and fill seas.

However, the large silver cat that had appeared beside him at some point had a look of disdain in its eyes.

Too slow!

The large cat, which had been guarding Chen Xi for who knew how long, sat on the cushion beside him, tilting its head to look at Chen Xi with focus. Its expression was very serious, but its front paws couldn’t help but reach toward the tassels hanging from Chen Xi’s belt.

The silver tassels each had a translucent glass bead tied at the end. They were neatly aligned, naturally hanging along the bottom hem of Chen Xi’s clothes, looking exceptionally delicate and beautiful.

The fluffy cat paw gently brushed against them, and with just a light touch, the tassels shook twice, and the glass beads clinked together, producing a crisp, pleasant sound.

The simple-colored hem of the clothes, the silver tassels, and the silver, fluffy paw mixed together. The cautious touch made it feel precious. But this was only an illusion, because in the next second, sharp claws suddenly shot out from the soft paw pads and began quickly scratching the tassels. In just a few minutes, the once-beautiful tassels were turned into a battered broom, as if it had been used to sweep a courtyard for many years.

However, the large silver cat became even more excited. Its jade-colored eyes grew wide, and it stood up on its hind legs, using its front paws to swipe side to side. Even its ears were pulled back, ready for an attack. It wasn’t until the glass beads fell to the ground with a crisp sound that it finally calmed down from its excitement at finding a new toy.

Oh no, this is bad!

Looking at Chen Xi, who was still repairing the formation, the large cat froze, maintaining its upright position. After hesitating for a moment, it decisively used a paw to cut off the tassels from Chen Xi’s waist and replaced it with one of its own jade pendants. As for the ruined tassels, they were naturally stored in its space.

As a contract holder for an Emperor, how could it not carry a proper jade pendant? After admiring its work for a while, it gave its ear a little kick with its hind leg, feeling satisfied and convinced that Chen Xi would love it as well.

After all, in the entire immortal realm, there was only one Emperor who knew how to spoil their contract holder this well.

Unfortunately, Chen Xi, who was still immersed in the formation, had no idea about this. He was, however, still in a state of shock from another discovery.

Chen Xi had uncovered the true secret of the Beast Island Secret Realm.

Unlike the understanding of the immortals from the immortal realm, the Beast Island Secret Realm was less a place of danger and more a place for trials, especially for geniuses. Only those with enough intelligence could pass through. If someone was too foolish, they wouldn’t make it out.

As for the trial one would undergo, it was determined as soon as one entered the secret realm. Those self-righteous immortals, who came with the intention of slaying demons, believing the realm to be dangerous, would end up facing the Asura realm. Chen Xi, who only sought the inheritance and was guided by the most authentic Dao of Heaven, mistakenly entered the safest realm, the realm of mending the heavens.

And now, he seemed just one step away from breaking through and reaching the final stage of inheritance. Chen Xi was somewhat excited, and his movements became faster.

Meanwhile, the large cat, also sensing Chen Xi’s progress, knew it wasn’t time to meet yet.

It cautiously jumped to a high place where it wouldn’t be seen, and then carefully set up multiple protective barriers around Chen Xi. After ensuring everything was secure, it disappeared from the cave, as though it had never been there.

The dazzling starlight decorated the entire cave, making it look like a dream-like realm, seemingly in anticipation of Chen Xi’s success. After all, tens of thousands of years had passed since the loss of the divine artifact, and now, there was finally a chance for it to see the light of day again.

Ahead, a stone door slowly opened. Once entered, one would obtain the Beast Island inheritance. Chen Xi, having just finished repairing the formation, opened his eyes to this scene. At the same time, on the other side of the door, a very familiar figure appeared—Immortal True Sword.

—

In contrast to Chen Xi’s satisfied and relaxed expression, the young sect leader in front of him was utterly disheveled.

Having crawled out of the ^[1]Asura Realm (修羅境) refers to a place or trial filled with extreme bloodshed, slaughter, and cruelty. In many cultivation and fantasy settings, it is a domain where only the strong survive, often … Continue readingAsura realm, he now looked no different from a real Asura. The sword in his hand still carried the souls of the wronged, and the murderous aura it exuded could send shivers down anyone’s spine with just a glance. But it was the scent on him that was the most terrifying.

Because that was the smell of blood, of death, and of hell itself.

In this atmosphere, the Immortal True Sword standing before Chen Xi seemed like a vengeful spirit risen from hell, ready to take his life and soul at any moment.

“Nice to meet you for the first time. My father and I thank you for your previous care,” the Immortal True Sword said in a hoarse voice, laced with a manic smile, as he stepped through the stone door, walking toward Chen Xi.

However, as soon as Chen Xi saw him approach, he instinctively took a step back, his face turning extremely grim.

“What’s this? Afraid of me?” Seemingly pleased by the fear in Chen Xi’s eyes, the Immortal True Sword’s laughter grew sharper. But in truth, it wasn’t fear that Chen Xi felt. It was anger. He almost wished he could immediately strike down the Immortal True Sword with his sword!

Because, just as the Immortal True Sword passed through the stone door, Chen Xi noticed something behind him. At the entrance of the still-open door, two young immortals, no older than their teens, were lying motionless. From their appearance, they seemed to be inner disciples of the Qingyun Sect.

Gone was their previous bravado. Now, their faces were twisted in agony, their eyes wide open yet unblinking, filled with struggles and hatred. It didn’t take much to realize the immense pain they had suffered before dying. As for the path behind the Immortal True Sword, it was paved with a mountain of corpses and a sea of bones.

If Chen Xi remembered correctly, before entering, this young sect leader had been followed by more than two hundred people. Yet now, the only one who could walk in alive was him. Although he looked disheveled, he was completely unharmed and had even clearly benefited quite a bit.

The reason was obvious. Those immortal disciples must have been nothing more than stepping stones for the Immortal True Sword to reach the final level of the secret realm.

“You guessed it right, that’s exactly what happened.” Following Chen Xi’s gaze, the Immortal True Sword figured out what he was thinking. “I, Qingyun Sect, have been studying this secret realm for decades, and only now do I understand that the Asura Path is built with blood. Killing fellow disciples to prove one’s way is just the most ordinary step. Moreover, times make the hero. You also have blood on your hands, don’t you?”

Crazy. That was Chen Xi’s first thought. But after understanding the implications of the Immortal True Sword’s words, the already raging anger inside him exploded in an instant.

The Asura Path stops killing with killing, controls violence with violence. I enter hell to save the people. This simple principle, to these immortals, had become a way to absolve their sins.

And what about killing fellow disciples to prove one’s way to the Asura realm? How laughable! How tragic!

Chen Xi didn’t like to interfere in other people’s business, but the situation today left him no room for retreat. He summoned the Myriad Forms Chessboard and took a step forward, intending to teach the Immortal True Sword a lesson.

Strictly speaking, this was the first time Chen Xi had ever taken the initiative to strike since entering the immortal realm. As for the Immortal True Sword in front of him, it was clear that they would never be at peace.

Despite Chen Xi’s preemptive strike, the Immortal True Sword, as an immortal, was faster.

Two immortal swords suddenly appeared beside Chen Xi, their sharp sword intents slashing through the air, cutting through his outer robe. The immortal spiritual power attached to the swords was laced with poison, and just a single touch would turn a person to bones.

The sword intent howled, and poisonous mist swirled, forming a lethal trap.

Unless Chen Xi’s immortal spiritual power could overwhelmingly crush the Immortal True Sword and directly sever his sword, even a Daluo Golden Immortal would fall short here.

The Immortal True Sword wore a victorious smile, looking at Chen Xi as though he were already dead. In fact, as soon as he saw Chen Xi, he had already set up his plan.

Before coming, he had heard of Chen Xi’s mastery of formations and knew that once these were gone, Chen Xi would be just a mortal. Right now, with Li Qianling nowhere to be found, rather than fighting Chen Xi with techniques and risking an uncertain outcome, it was better to just assassinate him directly. This poisoned immortal sword was the best gift he had prepared for Chen Xi. Now that the Moonlight Celestial Beast wasn’t by his side, there was no one left to set up protective barriers for him. There were no flaws in his plan.

“Chen Xi, safe travels,” the young sect leader’s sinister and triumphant laugh echoed throughout the cave, especially grating to the ears. But in the next second, the situation suddenly changed.

“Safe travels to you!” A voice responded from the mist, belonging to none other than the Chen Xi whom the Immortal True Sword thought was doomed.

Chen Xi’s voice was clear, his tone slow and measured, but the suppressed anger in his words erupted with each syllable, filling the space with his fury.

From all directions, everywhere. The sound transformed into a cage, trapping the entire small cave within its bounds. As for the immortal swords and poison mist surrounding Chen Xi, they were pushed back several yards.

Standing in the center, Chen Xi was surrounded by several invisible, special barriers. No harm could be inflicted upon him. His right hand held the Myriad Forms Chessboard, upon which a miniature version of the cave appeared, clearly visible.

Every flower and leaf could be part of an array, every speck of dust or grain of sand could create a trap. This was the highest realm of the art of formations. After undergoing trials and purification, Chen Xi had learned, without a teacher, how to use sound as a medium to set up his first formation—the Immortal Trapping Formation.

The Immortal True Sword stood frozen in place, his face filled with horror. In this moment, he had completely forgotten how to respond. From this point on, the battle had turned completely against him.

The sharp immortal sword was cut in half at the waist with a helpless scream. The poison mist that had filled the air was compressed and confined to the size of a pill, burning into ashes.

In that instant, Chen Xi, controlling the Myriad Forms Chessboard, seemed like a true god descending upon the world. Everything in the world was just a mere chess piece in his hands. Even the heavenly law was like this, and human lives were the same. Even though Chen Xi, the one controlling everything, was still a mortal.

The Immortal True Sword’s body involuntarily began to tremble. He regretted it, he couldn’t even understand why he had to confront the god of death, Chen Xi. Yet, Chen Xi’s second formation, the Immortal Slaying Formation, was already set. A massive immortal thunder hung above his head. Once it struck, it would annihilate his soul.

“I—I am the young sect leader of Qingyun Sect! Chen Xi, if you dare kill me, Qingyun Sect will never forgive you!”

“And so what?” The only response came from Chen Xi’s cold voice, and the thunder immediately followed.

“Killer of men, the world will always hunt you down!”

The Immortal True Sword was dead!

Chen Xi stood where the Immortal True Sword had been, looking at his corpse. After a long moment, he slowly moved. Walking to the stone door where the Immortal True Sword had come from, Chen Xi placed the young sect leader’s body into his storage space, softly murmuring, “There is indeed a saying that heroes emerge from chaotic times, and it’s true that those in power must climb over mountains of corpses. But you are not a hero, you don’t even have the qualifications.”

“Don’t compare yourself to a hero. It makes me sick to hear that word.”

The final trial of the inheritance was finally over. With the death of the Immortal True Sword, Chen Xi became the legitimate successor.

A uniquely designed ring suddenly appeared on his little finger, and various complicated pieces of information rushed into Chen Xi’s mind. Even the Myriad Forms Chessboard began to change.

The entire Beast Island began to tremble. Auspicious signs appeared once more. But unlike when Chen Xi had advanced with the Moonlight Celestial Beast at the banquet, this time the auspicious signs carried the pressure of the heavenly law. Along with them, an artifact that hadn’t appeared in the Lower Three Immortal Realms for tens of thousands of years—The Heavenly Dao List—descended upon the world.

This artifact had existed since the beginning of the Immortal Realm. According to legend, the artifact itself was the Heavenly Dao. All immortals in the Immortal Realm were ranked according to their comprehensive strength and the Dao they understood. Therefore, those who could be recorded on the Heavenly Dao List were all great rulers or geniuses with extraordinary talent in a particular field.

However, now, at the very bottom of the Heavenly Dao List, it boldly stated: Chen Xi — Formation Master — Master of Beast Island — Mortal!