226 Earthquake
Patriarch Wang’s scrutiny was not unnoticed, and not only Luo Xiao and his guards, but also Gu Xingyu observed the doubt that flashed across the older man’s face, as he tried to find something familiar from the young man’s facial features.
Even so, none of them made any actions to interrupt his focused gaze, and instead let the man keep examining every single feature and expression on Luo Xiao’s face. If they really tried to stop him from looking closer, then it would truly make him more dubious.
Although Luo Xiao did not resemble the Gu family very much, one had to remember that he was only said to be the son og Gu Xingxi, and that he had another father. It was not uncommon to resemble the paternal family line, so from his appearance alone, no one could determine whether or not he was a member of the Gu family.
Patriarch Wang also realized that while the young man did not resemble Patriarch Gu or his late sister, the entire Gu family had accepted him as one of their own, and this was only possible if his origin was unquestionable. No one was willing to take in an unrelated person like this.
Luo Xiao kept cultivating, his body and mind was becoming more and more peaceful. The taut muscles and excitement he had felt throughout the journey soothed, and his mind became peaceful. It did not take long for him to return to his best condition, but even so, he kept cultivating, slowly but rigorously, increasing his cultivation base.
p AndD nOve1.cO,m Patriarch Wang had retracted his gaze. Although he was curious and doubtful, he was not in a hurry to participate in the Gu family’s internal matters.
When he was young, he had a good impression of Gu Xingxi, but due to their identities, they did not become a couple. Even if this young man was truly her son, she was long gone, so whoever his parents were, did not really matter to him anymore.
As soon as the Wang and Gu families settled down, the rest had quickly followed suit, and the surroundings were peaceful and tranquil.
Every time a new group of experts arrived, all of them tried to be as quiet as possible, and the Elders of the families hurriedly sent their youngsters to cultivate and adjust their mentalities. Since the stronger families felt a need to do this, then their descendants definitely also needed to be in peak condition.
Slowly, the entire area was filled with young people cultivating. The sheer amount of energy that was moved caused the surrounding areas to fluctuate with both soul essence and qi.
As time went by, fewer and fewer people arrived, and more and more began to awaken from their meditation, while the Elders all began to look more and more solemn.
The sun was slowly setting on the horizon, and suddenly, as the final rays of light cast a red glow upon the evening sky, a tremor ran through the ground.
The first vibration was not overly powerful, but it managed to cause the final youngsters to awaken from their meditation. Luo Xiao had awoken earlier, and was observing the other participants to determine who could become a threat, and who could be ignored.
Although he was slowly changing his personality, he never considered entering this secret realm with the purpose of robbing others and causing trouble to the descendants of the many families.
However, he knew that some would target their peers, and those people could prove dangerous if he met them later on. As such, he was trying to figure out the personalities and traits of everyone present.
It was not only Luo Xiao who had guessed that the Secret Realm was not only a heaven for adventurers, but also a trial where ones life and death was uncertain, so all those present were trying to gain a basic understanding of one another.
“Everyone gathers together.” Gu Xingyu’s voice cut through Luo Xiao’s thoughts, and he quickly followed behind the other Gu family members to stand in a group next to their Elders and Patriarch.
“The entrance into the Secret Realm is opening. However, the entrance is hidden beneath the surface of the ground, so for it to open up, the surface will split apart. Whenever the earth starts trembling, the Secret Realm is about to appear.” Gu Xingyu was slowly explaining what was happening, as the earthquakes increased in intensity, and the intervals between each tremor decreased.
Luo Xiao took a deep breath. He looked behind him, and noticed the excitement and nervousness on the other contestants, but no matter how he searched among the many faces, he did not find Ye Chao nor Ye Feng faces.
He knew that neither of them would be able to participate in the trial itself, but even if they would not enter the Secret Realm, neither of them would leave him before he had gone through the portal.
Taking a deep breath, Luo Xiao also began to feel excitement and nervousness as the ground began to shake. Before, a short interval would appear between each of the tremors, but as time went by, it became a constant quake, and by now, the ground was shaking so much that even the trees began to fall.
The surface of the ground began to shift apart, and a great fissure appeared not far away from where the Gu family was gathered. The crevice appeared as a large gash, leading into a black world beneath, as no light could reach the floor.