The brutal rules did not scare anyone off. Instead, they further stirred the competitiveness and appetite for adventure in these geniuses' bones.
"As students of the core Zero Class, you have the privilege of entering the secret realm first and choosing your initial landing zones."
Finally, Qin Zhen said, "This is both an advantage and a source of pressure. If students from the ordinary classes or even the elite classes outperform you, it will be a disgrace to all of Zero Class!"
"Is that clear?"
"Understood!" The unified response rang out, brimming with fighting spirit.
"Good." Qin Zhen nodded. "Prepare yourselves over the next three days. Dismissed!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Zhen vanished without a sound, just as he had appeared.
The hall erupted in an instant.
"The trial secret realm! It's finally opening!"
"Hahaha, my saber has been thirsting for action! I'm definitely making the top ten this time!"
"The second floor of the core cultivation technique pavilion... I heard there are seventh-grade martial techniques in there!"
"Brother Luo, are we teaming up again this time? We have to take first place!" Someone immediately edged up to Luo Bing.
"Hmph." Luo Bing gave the man a cold glance, but his gaze drifted almost imperceptibly toward Xiao Han in the corner. He did not agree right away.
Xiao Han paid no attention to the excited discussions around him. He was absorbed in the system notification ringing in his mind.
[Ding! The host is about to face a major opportunity and challenge. The God-Level Choice System has been triggered!]
[Choice one: develop steadily and forgo this trial secret realm. The academy's waters run deep; lying low is the safest course. Rewards: Survivalist Cultivation Insights (basics), one bottle of third-grade healing pills, and fifteen days of undisturbed cultivation.]
[Choice two: face the challenge head-on, participate in this trial secret realm, and earn the achievement "Peak Hunter" (independently kill at least one exotic beast at the peak of the ninth level of the Martial Master Realm in the secret realm). Rewards: one detailed information clue related to the Shadow Demon Lotus, and advanced insights into the movement technique "A Step to the Ends of the Earth" (minor mastery).]
As Xiao Han looked at the two choices, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
Choice one? Survivalist cultivation insights? Healing pills? Fifteen days of peace and quiet?
These rewards are an insult to my status as a transmigrator and to the god-level system!
The one thing he had no shortage of was healing ability (Chaos Green Lotus), and the last thing he needed was methodical, "undisturbed cultivation."
But choice two...
The Shadow Demon Lotus! Ever since obtaining that wondrous plant in the mysterious valley and using it to evolve his Eternal Night King Martial Soul, Xiao Han had never stopped thinking about it.
The vast energy it contained and its dual properties of space and shadow definitely concealed a great secret. The clue offered by the system was of immeasurable value!
And there were the advanced insights into "A Step to the Ends of the Earth"!
This footwork technique had already shown astonishing results in his previous battles. If he could reach minor mastery, his speed and uncanny footwork would surely soar again, and both his survival and killing abilities would improve enormously!
As for that achievement objective... independently killing an exotic beast at the peak of the ninth level of the Martial Master Realm?
The difficulty could hardly be overstated. He was only at the Sixth Level of the Warrior Realm now. Crossing an entire major realm and three more minor levels to kill a peak exotic beast would be a fantasy to anyone.
But he was Xiao Han! He possessed twin SSS+ (or perhaps even higher) Martial Souls, had mastered "Annihilation Divine Fist" and "A Step to the Ends of the Earth," and had the God-Level Choice System!
Just because others couldn't do it didn't mean he couldn't!
The greater the risk, the greater the reward! That was what he wanted!
System, I choose option two, Xiao Han said silently, without the slightest hesitation.
[Ding! The host has made his choice! Please complete the "Peak Hunter" achievement before the trial secret realm ends. Looking forward to your spectacular performance~ (Friendly reminder: peak Martial Master Realm exotic beasts have thick hides and tough flesh, boundless strength, and may even possess an embryonic domain. Please prepare to be rubbed into the ground ^_^)]
The system's cheeky notification faded away.
Xiao Han took a deep breath, excitement and anticipation glittering in his eyes.
Trial secret realm, here I come!
Over the next three days, an atmosphere of tension and excitement filled the entire Imperial Capital Academy.
News of the trial secret realm spread rapidly, and countless students busied themselves preparing for it. The academy's trading market, mission hall, and cultivation rooms were packed.
Prices for all kinds of healing pills, antidotes, high-energy nutrition bars, and wilderness survival tools soared.
Information on the division of the secret realm's internal areas, the distribution of known dangerous exotic beasts, possible ruins, and so on also became some of the hottest commodities.
Xiao Han did not remain idle either.
First, he used the credits he had recently acquired and the money from selling materials earlier to visit the academy's logistics exchange.
The senior female student who received him looked quite shrewd. When she saw the special badge on Xiao Han's chest that marked him as a member of Zero Class, her manner immediately grew warm.
"What do you need, junior? We have everything here: pills, talismans, equipment, intelligence!"
Xiao Han got straight to the point. "I need high-quality pills for healing and restoring spiritual power. Also, do you have any intelligence on areas in the trial secret realm with abnormal shadow energy or spatial fluctuations?"
He had not forgotten the reward clue the system had offered—something related to the Shadow Demon Lotus. Areas where those two kinds of energy were abnormal were the most likely to have a connection to the demon lotus.
The senior student deftly selected several highly effective but expensive pills for him, then searched the internal database.
"Areas with abnormal shadow energy... hmm, there are records for the depths of the Dark Gloom Forest, the center of the Black Marsh, and Shadow Canyon in the Falling Star Mountains.
"As for abnormal spatial fluctuations... those are much rarer. There are only reports of instability near the 'Space-Time Turbulence Zone,' but it's extremely dangerous. They say even Martial King Realm powerhouses don't dare venture deep inside lightly."
Xiao Han silently committed the place names to memory and paid a substantial sum in credits and Federation currency.
Aside from buying supplies, Xiao Han spent almost all his remaining time in the gravity cultivation room reserved for Zero Class.
He did not rush to break through to the seventh level of the Warrior Realm. Instead, he continually consolidated his cultivation at the peak of the sixth level, practicing "A Step to the Ends of the Earth" and "Annihilation Divine Fist" over and over.
With his deliberate practice, "A Step to the Ends of the Earth" became increasingly smooth and natural, and he grew more adept at blending into shadows and flickering across short distances.
He also gradually discovered more ways to apply the annihilating intent of "Annihilation Divine Fist." It was no longer merely an explosive, head-on attack; he could channel it into his fists for a more penetrating, annihilating effect.
At the same time, he divided his attention to sense the two great Martial Souls within him.
The Chaos Green Lotus brimmed with life, supplying him with a constant stream of vitality and restorative power. Although the Green Lotus Domain was still only embryonic, it could already faintly influence the surroundings.
The Eternal Night Monarch grew ever more profound. The Shadow Dominator trait strengthened Xiao Han's control over shadows with each passing day, while Shadow Devour had become one of his trump cards for quickly recovering and storing up power.
The Eternal Night Domain was likewise embryonic, yet it already carried the terrifying power to strip away light and suppress perception.