The Ice Pool Realm Lord

The real world.

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

Qin Zhao opened his eyes, the glint in them fading as he rose and straightened his robes. He walked over to the porthole. Outside, the bizarre, dazzling streaks of Flowing Light began to slow, growing blurred.

A moment later, the spacecraft jolted violently, as if breaking free of some viscous medium. The view outside suddenly opened up! They were no longer in the dark expanse of space, but in a secret realm so magnificent and spectacular that words could not describe it!

Though Qin Zhao had already seen this realm in the Virtual Universe, the sight before him still took his breath away!

In the boundless void, countless glaciers towered like gigantic ice swords, their sharp ridges reflecting a cold, eerie light. Vast blue rivers surged between them, thick with the aura of ice. Countless crystalline stars drifted and swirled in their waters, like flowing Star Rivers.

On the distant horizon floated enormous continents, each crowned with imposing palace complexes. Powerful auras shot skyward like pillars of smoke, yet were confined within set boundaries by an invisible force, forming strange fields of energy.

The entire secret realm brimmed with pure Universe Origin Energy. Water- and earth-aspected energy was especially active, weaving gorgeous ripples through the air. Astonishingly, Qin Zhao felt no discomfort. On the contrary, his Origin Force flowed more smoothly, and his understanding of the Law of Earth grew clearer and deeper. This secret realm greatly aided the comprehension of all kinds of Origin Laws!

"We've arrived at the Ice Ripple Secret Realm." Claude's voice sounded. At some point, he had come to the outside of Qin Zhao's cultivation room. "Get ready to disembark. Someone will escort you to the Ice Plains Divine Realm afterward."

The spacecraft glided toward a huge platform at the edge of the secret realm. It resembled a giant plaza suspended above glaciers and Star Rivers, built entirely of some kind of transparent blue crystal. All sorts of spacecraft, large and small, were docked there, while streaks of light continually took off and landed. A magnificent hall stood at the edge of the plaza, with "Glacier Sacred Land Reception Port" written above its entrance in the Universal Language.

The spacecraft docked smoothly, and the hatch opened. Qin Zhao followed Claude out and stepped onto the blue crystal platform. Rather than cold, he felt a gentle warmth of energy beneath his feet. The Universe Origin Energy in the air was several times denser than inside the spacecraft.

Suddenly, a crystalline path of deep blue extended through the air from the void above the quiet port. Space seemed to freeze wherever it passed, leaving trails of tiny ice crystals behind. A stern-looking man in robes embroidered with icy patterns descended slowly along the path. His aura was restrained, yet it naturally stirred the tides of energy around him. He was one of the World Lords of the Ice Plains Divine Realm—the Ice Pool Realm Lord.

"Qin Zhao?"

The Ice Pool Realm Lord's voice was like ancient ice striking ancient ice, cool and direct. His gaze swept over Qin Zhao, who immediately felt a chill that seemed to pierce his soul, as if none of his secrets could escape those eyes. Fortunately, given what Qin Zhao was truly capable of, no ordinary World Lord could see through him.

"Greetings, sir." Qin Zhao bowed respectfully.

The Ice Pool Realm Lord gave a slight nod. There was a hint of approval in his eyes at Qin Zhao's composure under the pressure he had inadvertently released, but he said nothing more. "Snow has told me about you. In accordance with the rules of the Divine Realm, I'll escort you there. Come with me."

Without another word, the Ice Pool Realm Lord swept his sleeve, and an irresistible force of World Energy enveloped Qin Zhao. The next moment, the scenery around them changed completely. Qin Zhao felt as if he had merged with a cold streak of Flowing Light, traveling through the secret realm at a speed beyond his understanding.

Through the gentle yet unyielding barrier of World Energy, Qin Zhao saw the landscape of the secret realm streak past below. The vast Ice Ripple Star River resembled a true jade belt of stars, stretching across the center of the realm and radiating immense energy that mingled light, heat, and cold.

Countless floating continents and islands of all sizes dotted both banks of the Star River like stars. The closer they were to its core, the more astonishing the auras emanating from them became. Qin Zhao even caught sight of the real-world counterparts of the "Ten Thousand Mountain Wall" and the "Heavy Profound Domain," which he had once seen in the Virtual Universe. They towered majestically, imbued with natural Daoist charm. Compared with their simulated versions in the Virtual Universe, they possessed a greater sense of age and boundless grandeur.

The Ice Ripple Secret Realm in the real world is even more awe-inspiring than in the Virtual Universe, Qin Zhao marveled. He could feel the omnipresent energy of the universe here. The water- and earth-aspected energy in particular was so dense it had almost become tangible; with every breath, he could sense his cultivation improving by the slightest amount.

The Ice Pool Realm Lord moved at incredible speed. In just a short while, the temperature plummeted, and an endless ice-covered continent appeared at the edge of Qin Zhao's vision. Countless icebergs and ice palaces floated above it, forming the Ice Plains Divine Realm's residence. Compared with its simulation in the Virtual Universe, the real Ice Plains Divine Realm was far grander and more vivid. Every building bore the marks of time and powerful fluctuations of energy.

The Ice Pool Realm Lord took Qin Zhao directly to a magnificent hall built entirely of ten-thousand-year-old black ice. Above the entrance hung a plaque inscribed in the ancient Universal Language: Ice Plains Hall.

"This is one of the core hubs of the Divine Realm within the Glacier Sacred Land—the Ice Plains Hall. I believe you've been here in the Virtual Universe," the Ice Pool Realm Lord said coolly. "Now that you've arrived, my task is complete. The Divine Realm's stewards will arrange everything else for you. Remember, in the Divine Realm, you have to fight and compete for every resource. You've shown exceptional talent, so you should turn it into strength as soon as possible. Don't disappoint us!"

Before he had finished speaking, the Ice Pool Realm Lord's figure dissolved like ice crystals, as if he had never been there.

Qin Zhao stood where he was, taking in the more solid and imposing aura of the Ice Plains Hall in the real world. He did not feel slighted. A World Lord's time was precious. The fact that one had personally escorted a minor Planet Level cultivator like him was already a sign of how much they valued his potential.

Soon, a Universe Level steward in the standard blue robes of the Ice Plains Divine Realm appeared. Without expression, he handed Qin Zhao a new Identity Token and a storage bracelet.

"Junior Brother Qin Zhao, this is your identification and your initial resources. The storage bracelet contains a map of the Divine Realm, its rules, and enough Earth Source Crystal and Ice Heart Spring to last you three months. Your residence is in the 'Mysterious Yellow Earth Region' on the outskirts of the Divine Realm, courtyard number 721, C-section. Your token lets you use some of the Divine Realm's public cultivation facilities. You can check the details of your access yourself. The token will notify you in advance of missions and classes at the Law Transmission Pavilion."

The steward quickly finished explaining and gestured for Qin Zhao to leave on his own.

Qin Zhao accepted the items and sent his divine sense into the token. He immediately sensed a vast amount of information, including a detailed map of the Ice Plains Divine Realm, its rules, his access rights, and the exact location of his residence. The storage bracelet was not very large, but the earth-yellow crystals inside—the Earth Source Crystal—and a small pool of spring water that gave off a chill—the Ice Heart Spring—radiated incredibly pure energy. They would greatly help him advance his cultivation.

Following the map, Qin Zhao left the Ice Plains Hall and flew low with his Origin Force toward the "Mysterious Yellow Earth Region." The real Divine Realm residence was far larger than it had seemed in the Virtual Universe. It took him about fifteen minutes of flight to reach his destination.

The region was filled with rich earth-aspected energy. The ground was a mysterious yellow, and courtyards of all kinds were scattered across it. Many were covered by faint energy barriers, clearly indicating that their owners were cultivating inside.

When he found courtyard 721 in the C-section, a stone courtyard nearly identical in style to the one he had chosen in the Virtual Universe appeared before him. It was simply more rustic, with the sense of age unique to the real world. The courtyard was not large, but it had everything he needed: a quiet cultivation room, a training ground, an herb garden, and more.

"Even the courtyard's style matches the one I built in the Virtual Universe? They really put some thought into this!"