The splendor of ascension was dim, and looking back, the world was bright with life and color. In the mortal realm, Mu Changsheng lamented the sorrows of life, aging, illness, and death, unable to find relief. Wang Xuan walked along the banks of the Zhou River, marveling at the grandeur of the river, its waves sparkling under the moonlight, countless lanterns hanging in the night sky, shining alongside the stars. The Zhou River flowed from the misty highlands in the west, rushing eastward, its powerful currents crashing against the shore at sharp bends.
Wang Xuan had been walking along the river for a long time, encountering many people and sights, reflecting on his journey ahead. Who in the mortal world does not desire a brilliant life? As a young man, he could not afford to withdraw from society; he must embrace a colorful journey. Regarding the path of cultivation, whether among the pre-Qin alchemists or the Taoists and Buddhists, it seemed that established routes had their drawbacks.
He was still young and, clearing the mist, would explore his own vibrant future, as long as he avoided falling into the traps of ancient sages. The Zhou River was lively this season, resembling the ancient Lantern Festival, bustling with people enjoying lantern fish. Wang Xuan spotted three familiar faces in the distance: Wu Yin, Zhong Qing, and Li Qingxuan, surprisingly coexisting peacefully.
He was familiar with the first two, having interacted with them multiple times, often resulting in verbal battles. The third, Li Qingxuan, with her naturally curly hair and phoenix eyes, had once met Wang Xuan in the old land and tried to recruit him. She and Ling Wei were not on good terms. Wang Xuan suspected her recruitment had ulterior motives. Wu Yin had a decent relationship with Ling Wei, remaining indifferent when with Li Qingxuan.
Now, these three were together by the Zhou River, watching the stars and fish dance in the sky. Had they set aside their grievances to collaborate? Was there some change in the Secret Realm? Wang Xuan pondered, planning to set out tomorrow to find out. Under the starlit sky, he returned to Yuan City.
Upon arriving at his residence, he suddenly recalled a question about the indigenous people being affected by the 404 issue; could it involve the privacy of the financial elite? That night, he saw Lele and the three women, inevitably sparking some thoughts. In the past, some tycoons had intermarried with the indigenous people; could their descendants occasionally show signs of the Five Declines of Heaven and Man?
He thought it possible, which is why some articles were deleted? The next day, Wang Xuan shouldered his pack and set off toward the misty highlands. Throughout the ages, many have been eager to explore the wilderness and deep mountains, some even making it a profession by live-streaming their adventures.
Wang Xuan took an airship to the outskirts of the uninhabited western region, where there were dedicated routes, making it convenient. Ahead, the terrain rose gradually, lush and vibrant. Even from a distance, he could see snow-capped peaks.
"Bro, your gear isn't suitable for the misty highlands," a seasoned adventure streamer approached him for filming. Wang Xuan sidestepped, refusing to enter the frame, disappearing into the forest.
"See that? A rookie charging ahead right after arriving in the misty highlands; he won't last long. Come on, let's follow him and capture the scene of this newcomer collapsing from exhaustion." The confident streamer hurried after him, needing to provide entertainment for his audience. Ultimately, he exhausted himself and never caught up to the newcomer, yet he wouldn't admit his failure, claiming the rookie must have gotten lost.
The misty highlands were truly magnificent, spanning over nine million square kilometers, vast and intimidating. Wang Xuan saw some people on the outskirts, but once he ventured deeper into the territory of ferocious beasts, adventurers became scarce, with only occasional traces left by humans.
As the sun set, the lush forests of the misty highlands began to stir with wildlife. A massive bird of prey circled above, pursuing Wang Xuan's figure, while a bear-like creature emerged in the evening glow and charged directly at him. With its striking red fur and weighing over twelve hundred pounds, it sprinted through the forest with earth-shaking force, startling nearby animals.
"It must be some kind of bear," Wang Xuan stood his ground, feeling a mix of anticipation and excitement, having heard tales of various ferocious beasts in the Secret Realm.
As the bear-like creature approached, it stood upright and swiped a paw at him. For a normal person, that would be deadly. It opened its massive mouth, preparing to bite.
Bang!
Despite encountering a new species, Wang Xuan didn't cower; he slapped back with equal force.
"Roar…"
The bear-like creature yelped in pain, retracting its paw, now bewildered and fearful of the person before it. In fact, Wang Xuan had shown restraint; otherwise, the paw would have been crushed.
"Come on, let's see if you can be my mount." This was his first encounter with a super-sized beast since becoming a master. He had heard legends of immortals riding divine beasts in ancient times. For now, riding a normal beast should be within reach, right?
Of course, the main reason for his interest was a photo from the old era, edited to show Emperor Pu riding a brown bear. Now, he was excited to ride a bear into the misty highlands. However, once he mounted this massive creature, the experience was terrible; it was completely out of control, leaping and bounding in terror, leaving Wang Xuan feeling like he was on a wildly oscillating seesaw.
"Get lost immediately, or I'll roast your paw!" Wang Xuan couldn't take it anymore and sent the bear away. That night, he navigated through the mountains, realizing that the bear-like creature was already a large beast, and he hadn't seen any other ferocious beasts, indicating that the Secret Realm was not in this area.
The next morning, Wang Xuan set out again, tracing upstream along the Zhou River, heading towards a target marked by Old Chen. Two days later, he was disappointed; that area couldn't possibly be the Secret Realm.
On the fourth day, he took down a bird of prey weighing over two hundred pounds, capable of easily piercing a normal person's skull from the sky. Wang Xuan felt a glimmer of hope, but quickly realized that this bird was already the apex predator of the plateau, and nothing else in the sky was more formidable.
By the seventh day, Wang Xuan climbed a snow-capped mountain thousands of meters high, concluding that this snowy region could not hold the Secret Realm. On the eleventh day, deep within the misty highlands, he killed a cat-like creature weighing seventeen hundred pounds, resembling a tiger or leopard but even more vicious. This was the strongest species he encountered in the highlands, but it certainly didn't match the legendary beasts.
Sighing, Wang Xuan reflected on how he had searched several places Old Chen suspected, yet he hadn't even caught a glimpse of the Secret Realm—no leads whatsoever. On the twelfth day, he unexpectedly discovered a patch of golden mushrooms, stirring excitement in him. Could they be golden mushrooms?
Fifteen minutes later, he watched as the groundhogs and wild foxes he had forcibly fed began foaming at the mouth, followed by blood oozing from their corners as they lay twitching on the ground. He sighed in resignation.
He couldn't find the Secret Realm, having traversed this uninhabited zone without any gain. "Old Chen, you're truly unreliable!" Wang Xuan fumed, exhausted from days of wandering the misty highlands without uncovering any valuable clues. He believed the Secret Realm wasn't even in the misty highlands; Old Chen had been mistaken from the start.
"Am I left with no choice but to seek out Zhao Qinghan or Wu Yin to collaborate?" he wondered, feeling reluctant. Collaborating with either Zhao or entering Wu Yin's expedition team would easily expose his true strength, and he had too many secrets that could lead to unwanted speculation.
"Could it be another direction to consider? There might be a mysterious space on New Star that requires entry through a specific portal, revealing an entirely new world." Wang Xuan mused. If that were the case, the entrance would surely be guarded by various organizations, making stealthy entry nearly impossible.
"Or is the Secret Realm located on another continent?" His mind swirled with various hypotheses. He felt certain that the Secret Realm was unlikely to be on the misty highlands. After Old Chen's long search and his own exploration of the last few targets, he hadn't even found a trace.
Disappointed, Wang Xuan began his journey back, running fiercely and startling many birds and beasts into flight. Days later, he returned to Yuan City. After spending over half a month without results, he was frustrated and decided to visit the secret exploration organization's branch in Yuan City, hoping to send a message to Old Chen through their code.
However, upon arrival and using the code, he was first handed a confidential letter. After reading it, Wang Xuan felt like he wanted to return to the old land and give Old Chen a good beating; he had been misled! If he deciphered the letter correctly, it revealed that both the blessed land and the Secret Realm were independent planets, not located on New Star at all.
Clearly, after all this time, Old Chen had "resurrected" and learned the truth from relevant departments. Reflecting on his past half-month, wandering the misty highlands and living among beasts while eating bland, charred meat, Wang Xuan felt a mix of emotions. The misinformation had truly been exhausting.
The Secret Realm was actually a brand new life planet! This revelation shook him. "Am I really only left to collaborate with Zhao Qinghan and Wu Yin?" he sighed. After going in circles, he found himself back at square one, frowning. Was there really no other way?