They've Arrived

Hearing the voice, Monkey Has Iron Rod turned his head to look at the two of them, the corners of his mouth curling up: "Which of you is going first?"

The Master of Cloud Stack Cave had demanded they take the top three spots, though in reality, there were likely only two slots left—the Master himself would surely have claimed one.

It was impossible to imagine how he had managed to achieve something so exaggerated.

Their village had been close to that pillar of light, so they had seen it clearly!

Could the big boss have exchanged all his points for cultivation techniques?

"You don't want it?" Orchid Pavilion Scholar looked over.

"Don't mess around!" Monkey waved his hand. "I have no strength to truss a chicken; attribute points are useless to me."

During his time in Journey Survival, he had thought things through clearly; relying on himself, he likely wouldn't survive in this world.

Once they left the Secret Realm, the beginner protection period would end!

Especially since his luck had been too good; he hadn't known how to hide at the start and had shown off quite a bit for two days.

He had been regretting it to death these past few days. At any moment, someone might use a Dao Discussion Card to teleport right beside him.

He had to pledge loyalty to a boss and make some powerful friends!

Wasn't that exactly what was in front of him?

The Master of Cloud Stack Cave never spoke nonsense and rarely posted in the chat area; he was likely a cold and aloof person.

Sword Seven was of a similar temperament, and while the Scholar cursed whenever he spoke... their characters were not bad.

Snatching a vehicle attribute wouldn't necessarily keep him alive, but making a few friends certainly would!

"Fine, I owe you a favor!" Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword didn't hesitate at all. Gripping his sword, he stepped into the Land God Temple.

"I owe you a favor as well!" Orchid Pavilion Scholar followed him in.

Monkey Has Iron Rod opened the Scroll and found Rain Seeker, asking: "How is it?"

Rain Seeker replied: "I've found the Mountain God Temple. There are troops guarding the perimeter, but I'm approaching via the waterway; I won't be discovered."

A moment later, Rain Seeker responded: "I'm in!"

Immediately after, when Monkey Has Iron Rod tried to send another message, it wouldn't go through.

Out of service area!

Monkey whistled, his carriage caught up, and he stepped onto it and into the Land God Temple.

Yet, Orchid Pavilion Scholar and Sword Seven were nowhere to be seen. He stepped back and looked around, stunned.

Grasslands on both sides, a small path in the middle.

He was back!

This was his own Journey Survival; the Land God Temple was right beside the small path.

Did entering the Land God Temple in the Secret Realm teleport you back?

Was the upgrade actually performed at one's own Land God Temple? Monkey Has Iron Rod was taken aback. What about those Path Seekers who hadn't saved up enough Life Stones and Soul Jade? Were they trapped in the Secret Realm forever?

That wouldn't be so bad; at the very least, they wouldn't have to worry about food and could enjoy the sunrise and sunset every day.

As for the zombies—no matter how dangerous they were, could they be more dangerous than Journey Survival?

He gave a bitter smile and sent a message to Zhu Jiusi; the message was sent successfully.

The Master of Cloud Stack Cave had indeed renovated his lair and left the Secret Realm long ago.

However, he received no reply from Zhu Jiusi. He shrugged and plunged back into the Land God Temple.

Should I renovate right now? He was different from the others; he had already completed his second renovation ahead of time. Doing it again would be his third. Would he be able to beat the Scholar and Sword Seven to it?

He sent a message over.

A moment later, the reply came back.

Orchid Pavilion Scholar: "Second renovation complete, currently on the third. You can safely enter."

Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword: "On the third."

Monkey Has Iron Rod opened his mouth: "There's more than one freak, it seems. I have extremely good luck and get several times more Gourds than others, which is why I finished early, but how did these two manage it?"

Regardless, he didn't dwell on it. He entered the temple and selected renovation.

Secret Realm: Mountain Forest.

Daoist Number 323 did not struggle to search like Sword Seven and the others. Two days ago, an old man accompanied by people dressed as Black and White Impermanence had found him and directly given him the true coordinates of the Land God Temple.

The request was simple: improve himself with all his might and cause trouble for the Master of Cloud Stack Cave.

If he could kill him, they would give him a single-player Secret Realm map.

He had wanted to ask about the origins of those three, but after a single glance from the old man, he dared not make another sound.

What kind of gaze was that? It was like a god looking at an ant!

He was certain that those three were not Path Seekers, nor were they natives of the Secret Realm.

Daoist Number 323 felt he had touched upon the true core of Journey Survival!

Since it didn't require any extra effort on his part, how could he possibly refuse?

With the exact location in hand, it took him less than half an hour to rush over!

Confirming the Land God Temple was right there, he dove straight inside.

He summoned his vehicle and immediately selected the modification option.

He was ahead of the others again!

He had intercepted a portion of the materials that Bright Moon Illuminating People and the others had offered up over the past few days.

Before entering the Secret Realm, a Land God Temple had appeared on the road; he had thrown his vehicle into the temple to perform the second modification before he even entered the realm.

This time, he could proceed directly to the third.

The little hammer went ding-ding-dang-dang against the vehicle.

However, the expression on Daoist Number 323's face gradually turned to one of confusion.

"Don't the first three modifications come with attributes? Are they fixed attributes that can't be chosen?"

He muttered to himself.

A moon appeared on the Scroll, responding with a cheeky tone: "You can choose!"

"Where do I choose?"

"Dear, you didn't make the top three, so there are no special attributes. You don't get a choice."

Daoist Number 323's expression turned spectacular: "I didn't make the top three? What place am I?!"

"Fifth!"

Daoist Number 323 swayed; he might have accepted that Wild Boar being faster than him, but four people ahead of him?!

"How much earlier were they... than me?"

The moon glanced at him: "Technically, I shouldn't tell you this, but since I am the authority, it doesn't matter. The first person was two days ahead of you, and the other three were about ten minutes ahead!"

"Did those three... start their modifications at the same time?"

"Within five minutes of each other." The moon seemed eager to crush his spirit.

Daoist Number 323 swayed again, his entire body trembling. Then, his eyes lit up: "No! You're lying to me. Is there a trial for choosing attributes? Otherwise, why would you appear? Isn't the moon meant for all Path Seekers?"

This thing was like a system, an announcement-like entity; it shouldn't be interacting with Path Seekers individually, right?

The moon snorted twice: "Every Path Seeker who exits the Secret Realm early gets one session of individual guidance from me. Once you leave this temple, you won't have another chance!"

As it said this, the tip of the moon pointed downward: "Friendly reminder: if a Path Seeker can receive my individual guidance five times in a row, they can obtain an independent Little Moon and possess a permanent auxiliary butler."

After saying this, it fell silent, and its form dissipated with a poof.

No matter how much Daoist Number 323 tried to consult it, there was no response.

What did the moon just say? Exiting the Secret Realm early?

A terrible feeling rose in the pit of his stomach, and he turned and bolted out of the Land God Temple.

Outside were the mountains, rivers, and the small path.

He was back!

Suddenly, he felt an unbearable pain in his chest.

It was gone! Everything was gone!

He had leveraged his status in the Secret Realm to have the Marquis Mansion prepare a massive amount of supplies.

Food, drinking water, clothing, weapons...

He hadn't even had the chance to grab them yet!

He had planned to modify his vehicle first, then loot the entire Xiangnan Prefecture, and finally exit the Secret Realm fully loaded with spoils...

Why was he kicked out early?!

Not only that, but as if it weren't enough, the moment he stepped out of the Land God Temple, the Scroll indicated that a message had been successfully sent.

It was the message he had previously sent to Zhu Jiusi, which had failed because he was out of the service area. Now that he was in the same service area, the message had gone through.

It was as if he were telling the Master of Cloud Stack Cave: I'm back, come and kill me if you have the guts!

He couldn't stop it even if he wanted to.

The Daoist prayed, and the Mountain Master responded.

Moments after the message was sent, Daoist Number 323 realized the surrounding environment had changed.

On both sides of the path, there were still forests, but the left side was clearly an area of gentle slopes and lush vegetation.

The other side, however, was filled with jagged, strange rocks—it was completely different.

Someone had used a Dao Discussion Card to force a convergence.

He checked in a panic and saw a Wild Boar standing quietly in the direction from which he had come.

It was clearly a pig, yet he saw a mocking look in its eyes.

Daoist Number 323's face turned the color of a pig's liver.