As he began to explore, Qin Chen was on full alert.
One had to know that every creature in this garden had a trace of immortal origin and had cultivated from birth with immortal energy. Despite the fact that they may not have reached that level, they were sure to be much stronger than ordinary beings of their level, and he was indeed currently the weakest being in this garden.
Thinking of the name Immortal Garden, Qin Chen wanted to curse the system.
Garden? This was clearly a world of its own, Qin Chen even surmised that this 'Garden' was larger than the entire Northern Wilderness, and possibly by many fold.
In fact, he couldn't even bring himself to glace skyward, as there was constant movement from creatures so powerful Qin Chen couldn't even comprehend how strong such beings were.
The only bright side was that Qin Chen felt auras of certain beasts at the nascent soul realm, clearly newly born.
The Dreaming Lotus Forest looked peaceful from afar.
But the moment Qin Chen stepped into its perimeter, the tranquility shattered.
The ground pulsed.
The air grew heavy.
A single step further—and the world changed.
BOOOOM!
A monstrous pressure descended like an avalanche.
The lotus trees surrounding him swayed unnaturally. Their petals shimmered with hues of blood-red and ghost-white. The "leaves" were flat, transparent membranes that shimmered like the wings of insects, and some even trembled on their own—as if breathing.
Qin Chen's instincts screamed.
He stepped back—
Too late.
The earth cracked open beneath him.
SKREEEEEEEEEEE!!!
A shadow lunged from below—something long, coiled, and segmented. Covered in crystalline shell, each plate reflecting distorted versions of his face. The creature's maw opened like a blooming flower, inside of which were rows of saw-like teeth grinding against each other.
Qin Chen instantly flicked his finger.
SHIIIIIIING!!!
A sword-light slashed down, aimed to bisect the beast—
CLANG!!!
The blade bounced off.
"What the—?!"
The beast twisted, its tail lashing through the air like a falling mountain.
BOOOOOOM!
Qin Chen barely managed to teleport backwards using his Sword Flash Step.
The ground where he'd stood erupted into a crater thirty meters wide.
He didn't wait.
He ran.
Leaves and petals exploded in his wake as he sprinted through the trees. The creature didn't follow far—it hissed, then melted back into the ground like it had never been there.
Qin Chen leapt onto a vine bridge, landing hard.
Ding!
[Warning: You are being observed.]
His head whipped around—
Eyes.
Eyes in the trees. Eyes beneath the water. Eyes hidden behind flowers that looked like blossoms but blinked like predators.
The entire forest was watching him.
Qin Chen exhaled, forcing calm.
"System," he said, "update me on known threats."
Ding!
[Immortal Garden Classification - Estimated Threat Levels Detected in Area:] – Verdant Bone Wyrm (Rank: High Nascent Soul – Known to tunnel through ley-lines, immune to most sword Qi.) – Illusory Veil Fox (Rank: ??? – Currently observing you.) – Dream Lotus Guardian Beast (Rank: ??? – Currently dormant.)
"…great," Qin Chen muttered. "I'm a walking buffet."
The system pinged again.
Ding!
[Your presence has been noted. Creatures in this domain will become increasingly aggressive over time.]
"Even better."
He had to move.
Fighting was suicide.
This wasn't the Azure Sky Sect where he could crush opponents for sparring practice—this was a realm where the average beast would rip through sect elders like wet paper.
But he needed to reach the trial site.
He activated his Concealing Flame Veil, cloaking his spiritual presence. His footsteps became soundless, his flames hidden deep within his core.
He sprinted.
Thirty minutes of running.
Dozens of near-misses.
A moment where a three-eyed monkey with wings made of knives dropped from above, screeched, and vaporized a bird mid-flight with a tongue-lash of pure soul-force.
Qin Chen ducked, flared his sword aura to scare it, and ran the opposite direction.
"One day I'm coming back and eating all of you," he growled, dodging another random tree that tried to bite him.
At last—
Ding!
[You have arrived at the perimeter of Trial Site 1: Path of Thousand Bloom Illusions.]
Qin Chen dropped behind a massive root, panting lightly, drenched in immortal pollen and sweat.
He looked up.
Before him stood a clearing—a wide, shimmering field filled with glowing lotus flowers of every shape and hue. Above them, strange lights danced in slow spirals, whispering illusions and memories into the wind.
He frowned.
It didn't feel dangerous.
Which meant it was probably the deadliest thing he'd seen all day.
But at least it wasn't trying to eat him. Yet.
Qin Chen's gaze narrowed, and he stood up straight, brushing dirt and blood off his sleeve.
"Alright," he muttered. "Trial Site One…"
He pulled his sword free, and the air around him pulsed.
"…let's see if you're any less insane than everything else in this damn garden."