[Identity Information: Lanshan City Second Advanced Dao Studies, Third-Year High School Student Bai Yi] [Realm: Qi Refining, Fourth Layer] [Secret Realm Visits: 0] [Please undergo Spiritual Power attribute testing...]
"Mm, you're a student at No. 2 Middle School?"
The staff member responsible for registration glanced at the information projected on the screen and couldn't help looking up in surprise.
"Yes."
"Didn't your school's teachers tell you that they don't recommend entering a city Secret Realm before enrolling in an Academy?"
The staff member paused his work. To have gotten into Advanced Dao Studies and reached the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining by the time he graduated in his Third Year of High School proved that this child had at least the potential to enter a Third-Rate Private Sect.
There was no need to take such a risk at a time like this.
"They did, but I still want to give it a try," Bai Yi explained.
"I've already warned you. If you're determined, go over there for the inspection and pay the fee."
After his application was approved, Bai Yi turned and walked toward an inspection device off to the side that resembled a security screening machine.
Ahead of him, several men and women dressed alike in gray robes and wearing cold expressions were injecting their Spiritual Power into the inspection device one by one.
"Just how many cultivation arts have you people practiced? Your Spiritual Power is pretty mixed."
"But as long as you haven't practiced any sinister arts, it's fine."
The man in charge of the inspection looked up at them, but didn't say much. After they paid the fee, he handed each of them a Secret Realm Card.
Once they had left, Bai Yi walked over to the device and injected a trace of Spiritual Power from his fingertip.
"So pure..."
Seeing the bright, clear light on the Sensing Crystal, the inspecting man looked up in surprise. Then he noticed Bai Yi's Dao Studies information on the screen and clicked his tongue with a sigh.
It had to be said: even in the most basic aspects, there was a world of difference between them, these Rogue Cultivators, and cultivators who had come from Advanced Dao Studies.
"Verification complete. Blue Mountain Secret Realm, one month. The fee is fifty thousand Spirit Value."
Bai Yi swiped his Terminal over the payment area. As thirty thousand Spirit Value was deducted, the inspecting man handed him a Secret Realm Card.
Taking the card, Bai Yi turned and left the registration office, heading for the Secret Realm entrance several streets away.
The busy streets were lined with flagship stores belonging to various major corporations that sold pills and weapons.
Bai Yi gazed at a technology flagship store in the middle of the street, its sign marked with a pair of Wings, and stepped inside.
"Welcome to Skywing Intelligent Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, North New District Flagship Store."
Inside the shop, two saleswomen directed an intelligent robot over to him.
"I'd like to see a few Divine Sense-linked scouting drones."
Bai Yi looked around as he spoke. Within the Immortal Alliance, there were strict restrictions on purchasing technological weapons and equipment with offensive capabilities.
But there were far fewer restrictions on auxiliary technological equipment.
In terms of combat strength, with the Heart-Questioning Sword fully refined and his Sword Art, which had allowed him to comprehend two kinds of Dao Resonance, even if he couldn't defeat someone in Late Qi Refining, he was confident he could escape by flying on his sword.
However, Blue Mountain Secret Realm covered more than a hundred thousand square kilometers, and all kinds of demonic beasts could be found there.
Going alone, it was still best to be cautious and prepare a few scouting drones.
"Divine Sense-linked ones..."
The leading saleswoman's eyes lit up, and she brought Bai Yi to the glass display case on the left.
Inside the case sat a drone, silver-gray all over, with a perfectly smooth surface and no protrusions. It was about the size of a palm.
"The Shadowless S-8 Transparent Camouflage, a Divine Sense-linked drone. It also comes with Intelligent Flight Control, which is rare at this price."
"It can boost your Divine Sense range by about twenty percent."
Bai Yi took the display model from the saleswoman. As his Divine Sense flowed into it, a connection framework appeared in his pupils once more.
[External drone device detected. Bind and refine with Divine Sense?]
After a simple binding, the drone flew out of the shop in Bai Yi's hand, soaring straight up to five hundred meters-the limit of his Divine Sense. Then, under Intelligent Flight Control, it pushed that limit another hundred meters higher.
Feeling the images sensed through Divine Sense in his mind, Bai Yi nodded in satisfaction.
The strength and range of his Divine Sense could already rival those of ordinary cultivators at the Seventh or Eighth Layer of Qi Refining. Adding the hundred meters provided by the drone's intelligent technology...
Apart from some cultivators above the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining who might notice it, those below the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining would find it hard to detect.
"Not bad. How much?"
"We're having a promotion today. One costs just forty-nine thousand nine hundred; two are only ninety thousand!"
After taking another look to make sure there were no problems, Bai Yi paid ninety thousand from his account, packed the two drones in his bag, and slung it across his chest.
Leaving the shop, Bai Yi crossed two more blocks and bought some detoxifying medicine and other essentials for the Secret Realm, including a map.
A moment later, a huge plaza covering more than four football fields came into view.
At its center stood a square Bronze Archway, its surface carved with complex, mysterious patterns and runes, mottled with rust and covered in vines.
Twisted space swirled continually within the archway. Under the supervision of staff from the Lanshan City Secret Realm Management Office, one team of Rogue Cultivators after another entered the Bronze Archway in orderly lines and disappeared from the world.
"Rakshasa Squad, average Qi Refining, Third Layer. Thirty thousand in technological equipment. Anyone interested in joining, come over!"
"Rogue Cultivator at the Second Layer of Qi Refining, with twenty thousand in technological equipment. Looking for a team to explore with."
"Exploring Miyue Valley. Looking for a powerful cultivator at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining with a modified prosthetic armor to join the team!"
"..."
The shouts rang out one after another along the outer edge of the Secret Realm plaza, as noisy as a marketplace.
Forget the image of immortal cultivators with flowing long hair and extraordinary bearing-even just looking at the scene, Bai Yi almost thought he'd arrived in a game lobby.
"This is how low-level Rogue Cultivators survive..."
Bai Yi sighed inwardly. With cultivation resources scarce, in this life Rogue Cultivators without talent or background could only struggle at the bottom.
And these were still among the small number of low-level Rogue Cultivators who were doing fairly well.
"Once you set foot on the path to immortality, all that remains is to fight!"
Repeating the words silently to himself, Bai Yi followed the line, edging closer to the Secret Realm entrance at its center.
After waiting for more than half an hour, Bai Yi arrived beneath the Bronze Archway. He handed his Secret Realm Card to the staff member beside him, then stepped onto the stone stairs and walked into the Spatial Vortex.
After a dizziness like drunkenness,
Birdsong and beast roars echoed by Bai Yi's ears. As his nostrils twitched, bursts of fresh fragrance mixed with the pungent smell of earth filled the air.
Bai Yi opened his eyes.
Lush, towering giant trees stretched endlessly into the distance. Peaks rose high, their heights awe-inspiring, while strange rocks jutted out below. Clear springs babbled through a breathtaking landscape.
As the Minor Five Elements Art circulated within him, the Spiritual Energy concentration was lower than that of a Second-Tier Spirit Land, but it was far purer than in Lanshan City.
After being absorbed, it required little further refinement before it could be transformed into pure Spiritual Power.
"So this is Blue Mountain Secret Realm."
Bai Yi spread his arms slightly and took a deep breath. The Azure Edge Sword on his back trembled.
Zing...
Amid the scrape of metal, the Azure Edge Sword abruptly left its sheath. Its light swept through a half-circle and slashed fiercely at the empty space in front of Bai Yi.
As Sword Qi flashed into view, a Green Venom Python shot down from the shadow of the treetops. Its jaws had only just opened when a streak of Sword Qi pierced it from the air, cutting its entire body in half and slamming it heavily into the ground.
Bang!
Dark-purple blood splattered in every direction. The split body of the Green-Scaled Venom Python writhed for a moment, then gradually lost its life.
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