Six months have passed since the introduction of currency and the train. Everyone has adapted, as more of the residents breakthrough to the Qi Gathering stage. Since they arrived in groups, they also tend to advance together as well. With the added workers, two departments were added, the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Entertainment. The department of transportation is under the guidance of a middle aged man, Minister Zhang Shun, but the department of entertainment is led by Minister Cai Jinjing, a woman in her early thirties and the youngest of the now nine Ministers. The transportation department monitors the roads, trains, boats, and eventually flying ships and teleportation. The entertainment department regulated actors, writers, musicians, athletes, and their associated medians, such as TV, Qtube, movies, games, music, and written works.
The train has become a social hub as everyday most people would travel back and forth. Friendships were formed and people often sat together discussing gossip, home life, or the newest artifacts.
Market Square was always busy as the citizens of the island would travel there to shop for clothes, food, pills, weapons, artifacts, and other goods. Others would go to relax at the resort, visit the cultivation center for extra time in the QR pod, eat at the different restaurants and stalls, or try to learn more about the upcoming 'movies' and 'tv shows'. The clothing shops were varied, but Huoran didn't introduce any modern clothing or clothing from outside regions. He designed robes that were native to this world but introduced clothing from ancient China, Japan, and Korea from his previous life. This included Hanfu, Tang, Kimonos, Yukatas, Samues, Jinbeis, Hanboks, and more.
Wei Huoran, now fifteen years of age, was going through his morning schedule when he was notified of an upcoming event.
'Xiao Ran, in three weeks, the secret realm will be opening and you requested to be notified', Quanliyan reported.
'It's already that time, thank you, Quanliyan. If I'm lucky, I can gain some insights about secret realms. Even if I can't create a real realm, I want to be able to create something close enough to use as farmland. Do you know why I haven't recruited anyone for a long time now?', Huoran asked.
'I didn't really think about but now that you asked me, it's probably because if you continued to bring people, either the land or people would become compromised', Quanliyan reasoned.
'You're no fun', Huoran sulked, 'but you are correct. If more people came we would need more farmland and that would start unbalancing the life on the island. I will build a few new cities here over time, but I'll do it will careful planning. To increase our farmland without affecting the island, my plan is to create secret realms that can support life of various types. So far my research hasn't found the right way to accomplish this, I can create storage rings, but this does t solve the problem. I'll study this secret realm and it should unlock the mystery of how to solve my problem.'
Quanliyan was silent for a moment and then said, 'if I had recovered more, it is likely that the knowledge you seek would appear. With your current level at Early Foundation Establishment stage, I am currently around thirty percent repaired. Perhaps your right, by observing this realm, it could lead to answers.'
Huoran chatted with Quanliyan more as he double checked his storage ring. With everything in order, Huoran scheduled a meeting with the Ministry. Meeting with them, he informed them of his trip to the secret realm and how it would help the island in the future. Minister Ren of the department of Agriculture was very excited with the plans Huoran had laid out. He left after the meeting, went to the beach, and summoned his boat. The boat had seen a few updates since the last time he used it, due to his expanded knowledge of artifact refinement. It could move faster, hide from stronger foes, and was more efficient in using power. He departed immediately, disappearing from sight and unlike his other trips, the bulk of travel time would be underwater.
Four days went by and Wei Huoran finally made landfall, switching his boat out for his improved hover bike. Another two days and he arrived at the location of the secret realm. All manner of temporary courtyards littered the grounds as he counted five different organizations were present. He recognized the robes of the Mountains and Rivers Sect, but the other four groups were new. He decided to take some time to learn about the other associations. He amplified the sensors and after listening in discovered that one was the Tang Family (3rd rate family), another was the Sword Heart Sect (3rd rate Sect), Chen Family (3rd rate family), and the White Tiger Sect (2nd rate Sect). After awhile of listening, he realized they didn't talk about anything interesting except for one thing. The leaders of the lowered ranked organizations reported to the White Tiger Sect about Huoran's recruitment of the poor and slaves and their inability to find the one responsible.
Inside the courtyard of the White Tiger Sect, five men and a few servants were sitting at a table. Shi Peng was bored, a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the White Tiger Sect and a core disciple, it was his responsibility to escort the sect's Qi Gathering members to the secret realm to see if one of them could gain an opportunity. Also, if somehow one of the lowere ranked organizations had a buried gem, he was to convince that cultivator to join. He was sitting with Chen Zihao of the Chen family, Tang Wulin of the Tang family, Fu Kai of the Mountains and Rivers Sect, and Ye Chao of the Sword Heart Sect.
"It's another two days before the realm opens", Shi Peng stated, "are all your preparations completed?"
"Yes, Master Shi", four voices sounded together.
"I want to return to a prior topic", Shi Peng lazily said, "I'm somewhat curious about this mysterious man you reported to me earlier. No one is aware of his background and he was hiring poor commoners and buying slaves in each of your cities?"
"Master Shi", Chen Zihao, "it's true, I saw him for a moment a few years back when I was near the sea. He had a boat that traveled underwater and a small flying ship that could fade from sight. There is no doubt that a young man like that belong to a first or second rate sect or family."
Shi Peng processed what he heard and frowned, "I've never heard of a small flying boat that could disappear before. It's strange that he came from the sea but, he should still be from this continent. The beastkin, elves, and fairies live on the north continent and the east continent is where only strength rules and his a mix of races trying to be the strongest including demons and demonic cults. They wouldn't hire poor men and buy slaves, what a riddle. What about you three?"
Fu Kai spoke up, "I was with young master Chen when that man appeared but I've never seen anything like the artifacts he had before."
Tang Wulin humbly spoke, "unfortunately for us, we never even saw him, and by the time we found out about the slums and slaver traders, he was already gone."
Ye Chao nodded and shook his head, "It was the same for us."
"That's too bad, I wish I could meet this mysterious person", Shi Peng said, "I have heard something recently, one of the senior elders of the sect was saying that he felt a strong power on the misty island of the sea. He was thinking either a heavenly treasure was born on the island or that the senior who cultivates there has exited his secluded meditation."
The four listening had looks of shock on their face when they heard this news.
Fu Kai spoke first, "So it's possible that the senior might accept a disciple then. I know our sect is planning to return to the island in two years."
Shi Peng smiled, "I'm sure it's possible, but with this development, my sect will most likely be going, and I wouldn't be surprised if they invite everyone here to go. After all, anyone can enter the island but everyone is restricted to the Qi Gathering stage."
At this time, Wei Huoran grew bored of their discussion and moved away. Eventually two days passed and foundation establishment cultivators for each group came together and approached a shrine with artifacts in their hands. Wei Huoran activated the recording function of his Qphone to save for research at a later time. After thirty minutes, the cultivators completed the ritual and a shining crack appeared in thin air. As the cultivators witnessed this, they started setting up the artifacts and activated them. The artifact reshaped the crack into a door archway. Wei Huoran photographed the process, the formation, the scroll with the information, and the people. He decided to make the most of this trip and take pictures of every artifact, talismans, and array formations he could find. With his mission accomplished, he drove away from the camp and activated the teleportation array, returning to the island.
Two years later, Chen Zihao awoke in his room, and after getting ready, he left to meet up with everyone going to the mysterious misty island. Once everyone was gathered, an elder for the inner disciples tossed out the sect's flying ship and the group boarded.
'I finally get to ride a flying ship, but it's disappointing because it doesn't look as good as the ship that boy had a few years ago', Chen Zihao thought to himself.
The elders responsible for supervising the trip poured their Qi into the artifact and it rose into the sky and flew. Several days past by, and other than some close encounters with sea beasts, the trip went smoothly. The elders circled the island to sense the weakest point in the protection array. During this time, the four other groups arrived at the island. As the elders from the different factions gathered and discussed about heavenly treasures and ownership, they felt a shift in power. At the location of the weakest point of the formation, the mist disappeared and the beach became visible. Everyone gathered together to defend themselves but what they saw was a man of seventeen years of age standing there. In a clear voice they heard him say, "Welcome to Sun and Moon Island."