"Among those juniors, the strongest should be Chu Qing. But since he can't participate in the next Martial Exalted Tournament, he won't be my competitor. I don't need to worry about him."
"However, the most threatening ones, Chu Ruoshi and Song Yunfei, were already seventh-grade True Immortals two years ago. Heaven knows whether they've already stepped into the eighth-grade True Immortal realm."
"Even if they haven't reached the eighth-grade True Immortal realm by now, by the time the next Martial Exalted Tournament begins, they might very well have."
"Even assuming they're at the eighth-grade True Immortal level, I only have one year left. In one year, it'll be extremely difficult to surpass them."
"After all, they are genuine geniuses of the Great Chiliocosm Upper Realm. Chu Xianshuo can't even be mentioned in the same breath as them," Chu Feng said.
"So are you just going to give up like that? You don't plan to participate in the Martial Exalted Tournament?" the Queen asked.
"Of course I won't give up. No matter what, I'll give it my all. Naturally, I'll decide whether or not to participate based on my actual strength."
"If I'm not going to participate, then I won't. But if I do participate, I must make a stunning impression," Chu Feng said.
"That's right — that's exactly the attitude to have. If your strength hasn't caught up to theirs by the time the next Martial Exalted Tournament starts, then don't participate. Just wait for the one after that."
"And if you're still not ready for that one, wait for the one after that. You're still young and your talent is extraordinary. Sooner or later, you'll catch up to them and surpass them."
"Besides, in this Queen's opinion, no matter what those people are capable of, none of them are a match for you. Surpassing them is just a matter of time." The Queen spoke these words with absolute confidence in Chu Feng.
While the two of them were talking, Chu Feng had already approached the Boundary Spirit Realm. He could finally see its true appearance.
The Boundary Spirit Realm was a vast, expansive sea of forests. Mountains occasionally rose up from within the woodland, but the most striking feature was deep within the Boundary Spirit Realm — a mountain range that pierced straight up to the heavens, an incredibly magnificent sight.
That mountain range was not only enormous but also extraordinarily tall, piercing through the layers of clouds. What could be seen beneath the clouds was merely the tip of the iceberg.
Of course, Chu Feng was a Spirit World Master. The clouds were no obstacle to his vision, so he could see the portion of the mountain range above the clouds as well.
However, even above the clouds, this mountain range still possessed tremendous height. It was so tall that it seemed to extend beyond the sky itself.
This mountain range was truly spectacular and wondrous. At first glance, it looked like a colossal stairway leading to heaven, filling one with awe.
And beyond that awe-inspiring mountain range that reached the heavens, the scenery throughout the rest of the Boundary Spirit Realm was remarkably strange. The trees within the forests were all extraordinary — some soared so tall their canopies nearly touched the clouds, while others shimmered with radiant light.
Strange flocks of exotic birds and white cranes occasionally flew past in groups through the forest, further enhancing the area's dreamlike, ethereal quality. It looked like a true immortal paradise.
Even in the Great Chiliocosm Upper Realm — a place where breathtaking scenery could be found everywhere — a sight like this still filled Chu Feng's heart with wonder and delight.
"Something's not right."
But as he drew closer, Chu Feng's brows furrowed deeply, and a look of confusion appeared in his eyes.
He discovered that the Boundary Spirit Realm had been sealed with a protective barrier on its exterior. That protective barrier extended from the sky all the way deep underground, completely sealing off the entire Boundary Spirit Realm. There was simply no way to enter.
Yet, he had heard the Spirit Villa Master say that the Boundary Spirit Realm had no protective barrier and that anyone could enter freely.
"Are those… people from the Ancient Snake Clan?"
But soon enough, Chu Feng noticed that there was in fact a gate in the barrier outside the Boundary Spirit Realm. And standing outside that gate were several figures.
No — to be precise, they were not people. Although they had humanlike appearances, they did not look like humans.
They were incredibly thin yet remarkably tall — over ten meters in height, with an elongated, skeletal build, like bamboo poles.
Although their facial features were identical to those of humans, their skin was covered in blue scales. Upon closer inspection, it was truly unsettling.