Young Noble Be Monster Slaying-Chapter 826: Heavenly Palace City

The Whale-Riding Immortal sent the four Yin brothers out of the Divine Ruins, then he returned using the Yang Qi Severing Banner. It didn’t take him long.

He turned to Elder Yin, who was waiting at the gate, and asked, “Which way do we go once we pass through this door? Does your collection of maps mention anything?”

Elder Yin replied honestly, “The map left by our ancestor only has the lower half. It records the checkpoints in the latter half of the sword domain and heavenly palace. As for the first half, that would be in the other half of the map, which I do not possess.”

The Whale-Riding Immortal nodded and said, “Then we’ll talk about that later. Stay close.”

With that, he focused his cultivation energy into his one arm and pressed his palm forward, pushing open the great gate of the Heavenly Palace in one motion.

Boom!

A thunderous rumble echoed through the air. Though the gate was as heavy as a mountain, the Whale-Riding Immortal pushed it open with ease, creating a wide gap.

The moment the gap opened, a fierce suction erupted from within. Beyond the gate lay a colossal vortex of spiritual energy, pulling everyone inside!

Whoosh!

After what felt like an endless spinning of the world around them, they descended onto solid ground. Looking up, they saw a dense forest looming ahead, and when they extended their divine sense, the faint silhouette of a distant city emerged.

When they glanced behind them, the way they had entered was gone, erased without a trace. It was clear: the only path left was the one ahead.

It reminded them somewhat of their previous journey into the Jiuli Hidden Realm. However, unlike that place, which was shaped by the spirit of the bronze city, this one felt far more real.

After scanning the area with his divine sense, the Whale-Riding Immortal frowned and said, “This hidden realm is far larger than expected. I can’t sense where it ends.”

An Eminent One at the eighth realm possessed divine sense vast enough to scan most hidden realms with ease. The fact that even he couldn’t sense the boundaries meant this realm was unimaginably vast.

Elder Yin remarked, “Our ancestor once speculated that this realm was left behind by a Hallowed One. Only such a being could have created something of this magnitude.”

Rather than being alarmed by those words, the Whale-Riding Immortal reacted with delight.

A cultivator who reached the seventh realm could already create a hidden realm of their own, though it would be limited in size and capable of incorporating a few Great Daos. It was typically at the eighth realm that a hidden realm began to resemble a true miniature world.

Most of the treasure-filled hidden realms explored by the individuals in the world of immortality cultivation were left behind by Eminent Ones at the eighth realm.

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As for hidden realms left behind by Hallowed Ones, many were nearly indistinguishable from the real world. For example, the hidden realm created by God Jiuli was able to sustain the Tan Clan for tens of thousands of years before it was eventually destroyed.

The larger a hidden realm was at the time of its creation, the higher the cultivation level its creator must have possessed. And with greater strength came a higher chance that something as rare as a legendary artifact had been left behind.

However, none of the ninth-realm beings recorded in the mortal world had any known ties to the Heavenly Palace of the Sword Domain.

Throughout history and legend, the ninth-realm figures who had risen and fallen bore no connection to the sword. The only potential exception was the earliest among them—Hallowed Li. Yet, he had long ago cleaved open the heavens with a single sword strike and departed from the world. There was no way his hidden realm could be located here.

“Maybe it's a sword-wielding immortal who came from beyond the domain,” the Sword Emperor said under his breath.

While listening to the others talk about hidden realms created by Hallowed Ones, Chu Liang found himself deep in thought. If the scale of a hidden realm corresponded to its creator’s cultivation, was it possible that the mortal world itself was the creation of someone whose strength was beyond comprehension?

But if that were true, just how powerful would that person have to be? Was it possible that beyond the heavens, in some greater realm, cultivators existed who had surpassed the ninth realm and reached the tenth or even the eleventh?

Just the thought of it was terrifying.

“Look,” Jiang Yuebai suddenly said, pointing ahead.

Before their eyes stood a city of pure white. It was made of materials that resembled those of the Heavenly Palace’s outer walls, though it had not been specially forged and lacked the ability to emit radiant light.

An old plaque on the wall bore a few large words: “Heavenly Palace City.”

...

Outside the city were a few small garden plots growing vegetables and melons. The land was flat and well-kept, with tidy houses scattered throughout.

Under a tree beside the garden, a few elderly men sat chatting leisurely. When they noticed the group approaching, they smiled and said, “New visitors, eh?”

“It’s been years since we’ve had any new visitors. How wonderful! And look, we’ve even got some young lads and lasses this time.”

“This young lady’s quite the beauty.”

Hearing how carefree the old men sounded, Chu Liang stepped forward and asked, “Sirs, may I ask what this place is?”

“The Heavenly Palace City is, of course, a city inside the Heavenly Palace of the Sword Domain,” said an elderly man in a brownish-yellow robe. “You lot came here treasure-hunting too, didn’t you? If your cultivation is strong, go ahead and try your luck at the checkpoints to reach the next level of the hidden realm. If not, just settle down and rest here for a while. Ideally, have a couple of kids before you leave and help us grow the population.”

“Haha...” Chu Liang let out an awkward laugh.

Seriously? We haven’t even figured out where we are, and they’re already trying to get us to start families?

After considering it for a moment, he asked again, “So this hidden realm isn’t just one place... it has multiple levels?”

“Of course,” another elder replied. “In the Heavenly Palace of the Sword Domain, you can only move forward; you can never turn back. The first level of the hidden realm is about the size of an entire province in the outside world. Over the years, we’ve lived and raised families here, building the Heavenly Palace City. It’s become a peaceful haven, separated from the rest of the world.

“To reach the next level, one must undergo a trial. Those who fail die, and those who succeed never return. So none of us here in the Heavenly Palace City truly know what lies beyond. In fact, we can’t even confirm the next level exists, as no one has ever come back. These are just tales our ancestors left behind.”

So this city was built by those who entered the Heavenly Palace of the Sword Domain over the years but did not dare to attempt the trials. It could also be possible that they had children here before they took on the trial. Over time, they formed an entire city population.

After getting a rough idea of the situation, the group walked into the city.

As soon as they entered the city, someone shouted, “We got some new visitors again!”

Hearing the shout, a large crowd quickly gathered around, all speaking at once to greet the newcomers.

“It’s been years since anyone new showed up. What dynasty is it outside now?”

“Need a house? We can help you build one. Houses in the city are free!”

“Looks like there are more men in your group. Anyone looking for a wife?”

“Hold on, hold on!” Chu Liang quickly raised his hands. “Everyone, we’re just here to take the trial and move on to the next level.”

“They all say that at first,” someone in the crowd warned. “But no one who’s ever taken the trial has returned. Whether they’re dead or alive, no one knows. You’d better think twice before going.”

“Exactly,” an older woman chimed in. “You youngsters still have so many good years ahead of you. Why not stay here for a while and enjoy life? As for the elder in your group, he may as well take the trial. At his age, the outcome of the trial won't make much of a difference.”

Elder Yin: “???”

After quite a bit of noise and chatter, they eventually learned the trial entrance was on the opposite end of the city.

The people in the Heavenly Palace City were a little too enthusiastic, but overall, they were simple and kind-hearted, genuinely willing to help newcomers.

The group made their way to the far gate of the city. Just as they had heard, an open field lay beyond, where over a dozen others were gathered, all preparing to take on the trial.

The trial challengers fell into two distinct age groups—youths in their twenties and thirties, and elders approaching the end of their lives. The young were driven by hope and curiosity, eager to discover what lay beyond. The old, having seen enough of the world, simply wanted to take one final step forward without regrets.

They waited in silence until dusk. As the last light faded, a rift appeared at the threshold between day and night. It was the entrance to the next level, known as the trial ground. For the brave, it was a paradise. For the timid, it was a nightmare.

One after another, they stepped into the rift and were instantly transported to another layer of space.

The space resembled a vast corridor, over a hundred zhang wide and stretching so far it seemed to have no end. As the group stepped inside, a voice echoed around them.

"The Sword Manipulation Trial.

“Participants must ride their swords forward at full speed when the swordlight is not shining. The moment the swordlight appears, they must stop. Anyone who moves during the light will be pierced instantly. Those who fail to reach the end before the incense stick burns out will also be pierced.”

A short incense stick stood in front of them. As the voice faded, it ignited on its own. It was clear that not much time would be given for this trial.

It looked like this trial relied on a skill Chu Liang was extremely familiar with—sword manipulation!