Ice Pool Realm Lord

Real World.

"Trainee Qin Zhao, the ship is about to exit the Dark Universe. Please prepare." Claude's voice came through the communicator in the room.

Qin Zhao opened his eyes, a restrained gleam of light within them, and rose to straighten his robes. He walked to the porthole and saw the bizarre, streaking flow of light outside beginning to slow down, becoming blurry.

Moments later, the ship shuddered violently, as if breaking free from some viscous medium. The scene outside suddenly opened up! It was no longer the pitch-black starry sky, but a secret realm of indescribable splendor and majesty!

Although he had long seen this secret realm in the Virtual Universe, Qin Zhao was still stunned by the view before him!

In the boundless void, countless glaciers stood like giant ice swords, their sharp ice crystals refracting a cold, eerie light. Between the glaciers surged vast, azure rivers, filled with a dense, frigid aura. Countless icy crystals and stars drifted and swirled within the currents, like flowing rivers of stars.

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Looking into the distance, one could see floating giant landmasses, upon which stood magnificent palace complexes. Powerful auras shot up like smoke pillars into the sky, but were constrained within specific ranges by an invisible force, forming peculiar energy fields.

The entire secret realm was filled with pure cosmic source energy. The energy of the Water and Earth attributes was especially active, weaving into magnificent energy ripples in the air. Surprisingly, Qin Zhao felt no discomfort at all. Instead, he found his internal energy circulating more smoothly, and his comprehension of the Law of Earth became clearer and more profound. This secret realm actually provided significant aid in comprehending various fundamental laws!

"The Ice Ripple Secret Realm, we've arrived." The voice of the Reception Envoy, Claude, sounded. He had somehow already arrived outside Qin Zhao's cultivation room. "Prepare to disembark. Someone will guide you to the Ice Plains Divine Realm afterward."

The ship slowly sailed towards a massive platform at the edge of the secret realm. This platform was like a giant square suspended above the glaciers and star rivers, entirely constructed from some kind of transparent blue crystal. Various spaceships of different shapes and sizes were docked on the platform, with streaks of light constantly taking off and landing. At the edge of the square stood a magnificent hall, above which was written in the universal cosmic language: "Glacier Sacred Land Reception Port."

The ship docked smoothly, and the hatch opened. Qin Zhao followed Claude out of the ship and stepped onto the blue crystal platform. The feeling under his feet was not cold, but a warm, energizing sensation. The cosmic source energy in the air was several times denser than inside the ship's cabin.

Suddenly, a deep blue ice crystal path extended from the void above the previously calm reception port. Wherever it passed, space seemed to freeze, leaving behind traces of fine ice shavings. A man in an ice-patterned robe, with a stern expression, was slowly descending along this ice path. His aura was restrained, yet it naturally stirred the tides of surrounding cosmic energy. He was one of the Realm Lords of the Ice Plains Divine Realm—the Ice Pool Realm Lord.

"Qin Zhao?"

The Ice Pool Realm Lord's voice was as clear and direct as the collision of millennia-old ice. His gaze swept over Qin Zhao, who immediately felt a chill that penetrated his soul, as if all his secrets would be laid bare under that look. Fortunately, with Qin Zhao's current background, he was not someone a mere Realm Lord could see through.

"Greetings, Lord." Qin Zhao bowed respectfully.

The Ice Pool Realm Lord gave a slight nod, seemingly with a hint of approval that Qin Zhao could remain calm under his unintentionally released pressure, but he said nothing more. "Snow has informed me of your situation. According to the rules of the Divine Realm, I am to guide you to the Ice Plains Divine Realm. Follow me!"

Without any further pleasantries, the Ice Pool Realm Lord waved his sleeve, and an irresistible World Energy instantly enveloped Qin Zhao. The next moment, the surrounding scenery changed drastically. Qin Zhao felt as if he had merged into a cold stream of light, traveling through the secret realm's space at a speed beyond his comprehension.

Through the soft yet resilient World Energy barrier, Qin Zhao could see the secret realm's scenery rapidly passing below. The vast Ice Ripple Star River, like a true jade belt of stars, lay across the center of the secret realm, emitting an endless, majestic energy that intertwined light and heat with cold.

Countless floating continents and islands, large and small, dotted the banks of the star river like stars. The closer they got to the river's core, the more astonishing the auras emanating from those continents became. He even caught a glimpse of the real-world forms of the "Ten Thousand Mountain Wall" and the "Heavy Profound Domain," which he had seen in the Virtual Universe. They stood towering and majestic, their Dao rhyme naturally formed, carrying a sense of vicissitude and vastness far beyond the simulation in the Virtual Universe.

"The real Ice Ripple Secret Realm is far more breathtaking than the Virtual Universe," Qin Zhao sighed inwardly. He could feel that the omnipresent cosmic energy here, especially the Water and Earth elements, was so dense it almost materialized. With every breath, he could sense a slight increase in his cultivation.

The Ice Pool Realm Lord's speed was extremely fast. In just a few moments, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and a vast, boundless ice plain continent appeared at the edge of his vision. Above the continent floated countless icebergs and ice palaces, forming the headquarters of the Ice Plains Divine Realm. Compared to the simulation in the Virtual Universe, the Ice Plains Divine Realm here was more magnificent, more real. Every building flowed with the marks of time and powerful energy fluctuations.

The Ice Pool Realm Lord brought Qin Zhao directly down in front of a magnificent hall constructed entirely from ten-thousand-year-old profound ice. Above the hall's door hung a plaque inscribed in the ancient universal cosmic language—Ice Plains Hall.

"This is one of the Divine Realm's core hubs within the Glacier Sacred Land—the Ice Plains Hall. I believe you have visited it in the Virtual Universe!" the Ice Pool Realm Lord said flatly. "Since you have arrived, my task is complete. The stewards within the Divine Realm will arrange the rest for you. Remember, within the Divine Realm, all resources must be fought for and seized by yourself! Since you have already displayed exceptional talent, you should turn that talent into strength as soon as possible! Do not disappoint us!"

Before his voice faded, the Ice Pool Realm Lord's figure dissipated like ice crystals on the spot, as if he had never been there.

Standing in place, Qin Zhao felt the more solid and dignified aura of the real-world Ice Plains Hall compared to its virtual counterpart. He felt no sense of neglect. For a Realm Lord-level existence, time was precious. The fact that he personally came to guide a mere Planet Level youngster was already a face given due to his considerable potential.

Soon, a Universe Level steward, wearing the standard blue robe of the Ice Plains Divine Realm, appeared. Expressionless, he handed Qin Zhao a new identity token and a storage bracelet.

"Junior Disciple Qin Zhao, this is your identity credential and initial resources. The storage bracelet contains a map of the Divine Realm, its regulations, and enough 'Earth Source Crystals' and 'Ice Heart Springs' for three months. Your residence is in the 'Mysterious Yellow Earth Region' on the periphery of the Divine Realm, Courtyard Number Bing-721. With your token, you can freely use some of the public cultivation facilities within the Divine Realm. For detailed permissions, you can check them yourself. If there are any missions or courses at the Law Transmission Pavilion, the token will notify you in advance."

The steward finished his explanation at a rapid pace and then gestured for Qin Zhao to leave on his own.

Qin Zhao took the items and probed the token with his divine sense. He immediately perceived a vast amount of information, including a detailed map of the Ice Plains Divine Realm, various regulations, his permission list, and the specific location of his residence. The storage bracelet's space was not large, but the pile of earthy-yellow crystals (Earth Source Crystals) and a small pool of cold, misty spring water (Ice Heart Spring) inside emitted extremely pure energy fluctuations, which would be quite beneficial for his current realm advancement.

Following the map's guidance, Qin Zhao left the Ice Plains Hall, using his energy to fly at a low altitude towards the "Mysterious Yellow Earth Region." The real-world Divine Realm headquarters was far more expansive than what he had perceived in the Virtual Universe. It took about a quarter of an hour of flight to reach his destination.

This was an area filled with dense Earth-type energy. The ground was a mysterious yellow color, and various styles of courtyards were scattered about. Many courtyards were covered with faint energy shields, indicating that their owners were likely cultivating.

Finding Courtyard Number Bing-721, he saw a rocky courtyard that closely matched the style he had chosen in the Virtual Universe, only it was more ancient, carrying the unique sense of time's sedimentation found in the real world. The courtyard was not large, but it was fully equipped with a cultivation meditation room, a martial arts arena, a medicinal herb garden, and so on.

"Even the courtyard's style matches what I built in the Virtual Universe? They were quite thoughtful!"