Chapter 928: Chapter 928

Lin Chen looked at the girls, his face apologetic: "I know you've all sacrificed so much, but I can't let you risk your lives."

The four girls exchanged glances before Li Moyu finally spoke: "Lin Chen, I know you have our best interests at heart. Winning this championship is our dream, but I don't care much for what rewards we could get. I'm willing to step back."

Jiang Qian and Gao Qi also nodded in agreement. They trusted that Lin Chen wasn't someone who would abandon them after crossing the river. If he chose to keep them out of the secret realm, there must be a special reason—it was for their own good.

Seeing everyone agree to withdraw, Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction.

"I don't agree!" At that moment, An Xiaodi gritted her teeth and spoke.

"Xiaodi, don't be stubborn. If I could bring you along, I definitely would, but this expedition to the secret realm is too dangerous. I can't let you take the risk," Lin Chen said seriously.

"You promised me that you would never abandon me no matter what. You promised you'd protect me. Have you forgotten your own words?" An Xiaodi stared at Lin Chen.

"But the dangers within the secret realm are unknown—even I can't be certain what's inside. Your current strength is only at the advanced stage of the Dan Yuan realm. It's simply too risky," Lin Chen shook his head.

"Let her come. Xiaodi isn't as weak as you think, and she has special abilities that might be helpful to us," Zhao Xiaohua suddenly interjected.

"Xiaohua, you?" Lin Chen looked at Zhao Xiaohua in confusion.

However, Lin Chen knew that An Xiaodi had been undergoing special training with Xiaohua on Devil's Island, so she was likely the one who knew Xiaodi's capabilities best.

"To become a true strong person, one must experience the tempering of life and death," Zhao Xiaohua said with a smile.

An Xiaodi leaped into Zhao Xiaohua's arms. "Master is the best, unlike some people who are all talk."

Lin Chen shook his head helplessly. "Fine, since your master vouches for you, you can come along."

An hour later, Lin Chen arrived at the airport with Zhao Xiaohua, Wang Zixuan, and An Xiaodi.

On the tarmac, Lan Xingyue spotted An Xiaodi and immediately frowned.

"Lin Chen, didn't I tell you that An Xiaodi couldn't enter the secret realm?" Lan Xingyue said unhappily.

Lin Chen was about to speak when An Xiaodi stepped forward: "What gives you the right to say I can't go?"

Lan Xingyue snorted coldly. "Your strength is probably only at the advanced stage of the Dan Yuan realm, right? With your level of cultivation, entering the realm is tantamount to seeking death. Lin Chen, this is irresponsible to this girl."

An Xiaodi responded coolly: "I admit my strength is weak, but my special abilities are more than enough to make up for my shortcomings."

"You have special abilities?" Lan Xingyue looked at An Xiaodi with a face full of disdain.

Without another word, An Xiaodi whistled, and soon, a bird flew down to rest on her shoulder.

"This is your special ability?" Lan Xingyue looked amused, almost laughing out loud.

"We need warriors, not a Beast Tamer from the zoo," Lan Xingyue said coldly.

At this point, Zhao Xiaohua stepped forward and spoke evenly: "Xiaodi has the ability to communicate with wild animals and can control them."

"So what?" Lan Xingyue replied.

Zhao Xiaohua chuckled. "I suspect there are quite a few creatures in the secret realm."

Lan Xingyue's eyes narrowed, her expression changing immediately.

"I trust Xiaodi's abilities. She won't be less useful than any of us," Zhao Xiaohua said calmly.

A hint of surprise appeared on Lin Chen's face. He had always thought Xiaodi simply loved animals, but he hadn't realized she possessed such a skill.

It turned out that An Xiaodi's body contained a special Chi that allowed her to connect with animals and communicate with them.

After a moment of thought, Lan Xingyue nodded. "Fine, you can join our team, but don't become a burden."

"Hmph, I won't!" An Xiaodi retorted coldly.

With Lin Chen's team assembled, the small squad was officially formed: Team leader Lan Xingyue, vice-captain Lin Chen, and members Zhao Xiaohua, Wang Zixuan, An Xiaodi, Mu Yuqiu, and Yue'er.

Lan Xingyue stood before them, her beautiful eyes stern. "Everyone, as we prepare to enter the secret realm, let me remind you: this will be a journey of life and death. I cannot guarantee that every one of you will return alive. So, I'll give you one last chance to back out."

Everyone's expressions turned solemn, yet not a single person chose to withdraw.

Lin Chen suddenly raised his hand. "Captain Lan, I have a question. Why am I the only man in this team? Not that I'm complaining—I actually setup—but I'm a bit curious."

Lan Xingyue glanced at Lin Chen and said, "There's a legend about this secret realm involving a mythical female kingdom. The women there are extremely interested in any man who enters, and once captured, those men cannot leave—they're kept in the realm as male companions for all the women. That's why there's an unofficial rule that no men are allowed to enter the secret realm."

"What?! There's actually such a dreamy place?" Lin Chen's face lit up with excitement; he seemed ready to throw himself at their mercy.

Lan Xingyue saw through Lin Chen's thoughts instantly and snorted coldly. "Surprised? Excited? Happy?"

Lin Chen nodded repeatedly, but Lan Xingyue smirked mischievously.

"Don't get too eager. If they catch you, your fate will be miserable. Imagine close to a hundred women relentlessly doing… well, you know. What do you think your end would be like?" Lan Xingyue said with a sly smile.

"Holy crap! They wouldn't be that ruthless, would they?" Lin Chen's expression changed drastically.

Lan Xingyue sneered. "Oh, they would. The secret realm is quite peculiar—there are no men there, and the women don't age. So yes, they're very… starved."

"Damn it! Can I opt out now?" Lin Chen felt a chill in his heart.

"Sorry, I gave you the chance earlier, but you didn't cherish it. Too late now," Lan Xingyue said, her face smug.

For some reason, watching Lin Chen squirm brought her a sense of satisfaction.

The plane took off, and after soaring for a long time, turbulence abruptly rocked it.

Lin Chen woke from his nap, realizing the plane was descending toward an expanse of lush, dense primordial forest.

Looking at the clock, he saw they had already been in flight for over four hours.

"Where are we?" Lin Chen yawned, glancing at Lan Xingyue by the window.

"We're almost there. Let's prepare to disembark," Lan Xingyue addressed the group.

Amid violent bumps, the plane landed at a makeshift airstrip.

After exiting the plane, Lin Chen couldn't help but ask, "Xiaoshuai, where is this?"

"Master, this place is called Shennongjia, one of humanity's unconquered primordial forests," Xiaoshuai replied.

At that moment, Lan Yuexing clapped her hands. "Ladies and gentlemen, we've arrived. Welcome to Shennongjia!"

[Extra Chapter 001 has already been released to the VIP group. We invite you to join the VIP group. Entry requirements: Minimum fan level of Disciple with 2,000+ fan points. Join group 135163922. Screenshot your fan points and send them to the group leader or Hunter for verification. VIP perks include: Weekly red envelope rewards (linked to the number of recommendation votes and monthly votes) and a minimum of one bonus content chapter every week. Come and join us!]