Ice Plains Divine Realm

Dark Universe travel was dull and interminable. According to the information Claude later sent through his AI assistant, traveling from the frontier territory of the Noah Universe Kingdom where Flame Meteor Planet was located to the Ice Ripple Secret Realm in the core region of the Glacier Empire would take about 120 Cosmic Days in the Dark Universe—even at the speed of this D-class spaceship. That was equivalent to about 220 days by Flame Meteor Planet's calendar.

During this time, Qin Zhao's life was extremely regimented. He spent most of it in the Virtual Universe's Killing Field, battling powerful opponents of all kinds, honing his combat techniques, and familiarizing himself with the fighting styles of different schools. He could also feel his combat experience steadily increasing. Occasionally, he would leave the Virtual Universe and devote himself to comprehending the Law of Earth Origin. The Earth God Clone's consciousness blended with his own, deepening his understanding of the Law of Earth Origin.

Claude visited him once during the trip, mainly to ask about Flame Meteor Planet and the basics of his cultivation. His manner remained gentle, as if it were merely a routine inquiry. It was only when the AI assistant announced that they were ten Cosmic Days from their destination that Claude contacted him for the second time.

"Core Student Qin Zhao, we'll reach the Ice Ripple Secret Realm in ten Cosmic Days. At Supervisor Snow's request, he'll introduce you to the entire Ice Ripple Secret Realm in the Virtual Universe. Please enter the Glacier Sacred Land's exclusive space in the Virtual Universe—the Ice Ripple Secret Realm—promptly!" Claude's voice came through the room's communicator.

"I understand!"

Qin Zhao opened his eyes, the light in them contained. Then, following the instructions, he entered the Virtual Universe!

Virtual Universe, Ice Ripple Secret Realm.

The surroundings were no longer the uniform blackness of the Dark Universe. Instead, a scene of indescribable splendor and grandeur stretched out before him!

"So this is the Ice Ripple Secret Realm?" Though he had been prepared, the sight of it in the Virtual Universe still brought a flicker of wonder to Qin Zhao's eyes.

There was no endless starry sky as he had expected. Instead, a dreamlike secret realm spread out beneath the heavens. In the distance, countless enormous glaciers thrust into the void like swords. Between them flowed vast, deep-blue rivers, radiating an intense chill. They weren't entirely liquid; countless icy stars seemed to drift and shimmer within them. Farther away, immense landmasses floated in the air, crowned with magnificent palace complexes. Powerful auras rose from them like columns of smoke, yet some invisible force held them within set boundaries.

The entire secret realm brimmed with Universe Origin Energy, especially water-aspected energy, which was extraordinarily active. Strangely, Qin Zhao felt no discomfort at all. On the contrary, his Origin Force seemed to circulate a little faster, and even his comprehension of the Law of Earth seemed slightly clearer.

"Qin Zhao, you're finally here." A familiar voice reached him.

Qin Zhao looked up and saw Snow standing beside him. Snow wore a warm smile. Today, he wasn't dressed in the blue uniform he wore in the Virtual Universe, but in a dark blue robe. His aura seemed even deeper and more restrained.

"Senior Brother Snow." Qin Zhao bowed slightly in greeting.

Snow nodded and gave Qin Zhao a careful once-over, his smile widening. "Not bad. Looks like you didn't waste this journey. Your presence seems stronger, too. Come on, Junior Brother Qin Zhao. I'll take you to register and get settled, then introduce you to the Glacier Sacred Land—especially this area where our Ice Plains Divine Realm is located."

Snow led Qin Zhao deeper into the secret realm, and the two flew off together.

As they flew, Snow began his introduction. "Junior Brother Qin Zhao, what you see now is the heart of the Glacier Sacred Land—the Ice Ripple Secret Realm. It's a natural Cosmic Secret Realm, transformed over generations by powerful members of our Holy Land into an ideal place for cultivation. At its core lies the 'Ice Ripple Star River,' which runs through the entire secret realm. The river contains a peculiar origin power that greatly aids comprehension of the Origin Law of Water. It can also enhance other lower laws to a certain extent."

He pointed toward the vast blue river below, where icy stars drifted and shimmered.

"The Ice Ripple Secret Realm is broadly divided into the outer region, the core region, and the forbidden region. The reception harbor where we are now, along with most public facilities and the ordinary students' residential areas, is in the outer region." As they flew, Snow gestured toward various places. "Look over there. Those floating landmasses are where the Sacred Land's various 'Divine Realms' are stationed, along with some important administrative departments. They're part of the core region."

Qin Zhao followed Snow's gesture. The buildings on the distant floating landmasses were all different in style. Some were shrouded in blizzards, others were lush and green—a stark contrast to the glacial surroundings—and still others blazed with flames that never went out. They clearly belonged to different factions.

"Our Ice Plains Divine Realm is in the northern part of the secret realm." Snow led Qin Zhao in that direction. "The Ice Plains Divine Realm emphasizes building a solid foundation and delving deeply into the laws, and it excels particularly in earth and water. Its lord is an incredibly powerful World Lord—the Ice Plains World Lord."

"You should know that Lord Ice Plains is one of the few Divine Realm Lords recognized by the laws as a powerful being!"

Snow's expression turned reverent at the mention of the Divine Realm Lord. Still, he continued explaining as the two flew onward.

Before long, an enormous floating landmass came into view. Unlike the others, it wasn't completely covered in snow and ice. Instead, it was dark brown, with rolling mountains and ravines crisscrossing the land, giving it a weighty, solid appearance. Glaciers and rivers dotted the landscape, but its overall aura was more like the steady calm of the earth. A faint yellow glow shimmered above the landmass.

"This is the Ice Plains Divine Realm, where you'll be living for quite some time!" Snow brought Qin Zhao down in front of a magnificent hall built against the mountains at the edge of the landmass. The entire hall was built from some kind of heavy yellow stone, its style simple and imposing. Three universal characters—"Ice Plains Hall"—were carved above the entrance.

"All new members of a Divine Realm must register here first and collect their Identity Tokens and initial resources. Even though you haven't arrived in person yet, you can look through some of the information in advance. That way, you won't waste time choosing secret techniques and resources once you actually get here!" Snow explained, then led Qin Zhao inside.

The hall was spacious, with many people in the Ice Plains Divine Realm's standard uniforms—mostly earth yellow and ice blue—coming and going. They all bowed respectfully when they saw Snow, while casting curious glances at Qin Zhao. Registration was quick. Qin Zhao's identity information had already been entered into the system, so they only had to confirm it again. He then received a Black Token engraved with mountains and a glacier, as well as a wristband.

"The token is your proof of identity and your communications and access tool in the secret realm. Keep it safe. The wristband contains some of your initial resources, including secret techniques available to Core Students, 10,000 points, a selection of resources you can obtain for free, and the Sacred Land's rulebook," Snow said. "Also, as a Planet Level Core Student, you're entitled to a private Cultivation Residence within the Ice Plains Divine Realm's territory. We'll choose an area no more than ten kilometers in diameter for you. Once you've actually arrived in the Divine Realm, you can use your token to claim your residence."