With a sense of accomplishment, Rain finally lay down to sleep, preparing to recover and face whatever the next day would bring.
Meanwhile, in the Star Immortal World, Rain open his eye, elated after absorbing the Main body's memory and realizing that the Cloud Sword Art had finally reached mastery. Now, with both the Cloud Sword Art and the Spring Rain Sword Art under his command, he considered merging them. However, his priority had shifted the previous night—from enhancing the Spring Rain Sword Art to comprehending the Vitality Rule.
Rain opened his personal panel to check his progress:
**Personal Panel:**
- Name: Rain (Yun Ting)
- Realm: True Energy
- Physical: 1.956 (20)
- Agility: 1.78 (20)
- Genetic Energy: 2.08 (20)
- Techniques:
- Poison Claw 1st Chapter (D) – (9/9) (Familiar) – 2.2%
- Life Vine Shield (D) – 100 (Start)
- Spring Rain Sword Art (E) – Master
- Iron Sword Art (E) – 89 (Proficient)
- Cloud Sword Art (E) – 46 (Master)
- Sword Technique – 84 (Master)
- Movement Technique – 8 (Master)
- Shadow Sword Art (E) – 6 (Familiar)
- Mysteries:
- Poison Stone – 0.12%
- Sap of Devil Trap – 0.001%
- Dark Iron – 0.0006%
- Rain Stone (D) – 1.71%
Satisfied with his recent achievements, Rain thought he could try merging the two sword arts during his free time when he wasn't practicing the Blood Flame Palm, which had now taken precedence. For now, mastering the Blood Flame Palm was crucial.
A knock at the door interrupted Rain's thoughts. He placed the Blood Flame Palm book back in his bag, stood up, and opened the door to see the ship's captain, Gou Fan, standing there. Surprised, as there was still about an hour left until they would reach Wutan City, Rain wondered why Gou Fan had come to see him early.
"Good morning, sir," Gou Fan greeted him, his tone serious. "I'd like to speak with you about something. May I come in?"
"Of course," Rain replied, stepping aside. He returned to his bed and sat, watching as Gou Fan entered the room, closed the door behind him, and took a seat on the chair.
Rain, seeing Gou Fan settle in, got straight to the point. "What did you want to talk to me about?"
Gou Fan looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking. "I mentioned before that I belong to an immortal family."
Rain nodded, wondering where this conversation was heading.
Gou Fan continued, "My family, the Gou family, lives in the core area of the White Stone Mountain Range, alongside five other immortal families: the Kang, Liu, Zhuo, Wang, and Su families. At the center of the mountain range, surrounded by towering peaks, lies Blue Moon Lake. And at its core—there is a Secret Realm."
The term sparked Rain's interest. He knew the concept of a "secret realm" from stories in his previous life, but he wasn't sure if it had the same meaning in this world. To clarify, he raised a hand to pause Gou Fan, then asked, "Secret Realm?"
Gou Fan leaned forward, his voice dropping to a more serious tone. "A Secret Realm is a small, separate space created by a Divine Throne expert and connected to our world. At the center of Blue Moon Lake lies such a realm. No one knows who opened it, but about a thousand years ago, the ancestors of my family, along with the founders of the other five families, accidentally discovered it. Upon exiting the realm, they established their families around the lake and made an agreement: only sixty individuals, ten from each family, can enter the realm each time it opens. The chosen entrants must be under twenty years old. The realm opens every hundred years, and in just one month, it will open again."
Rain listened intently, though a bit perplexed. "But why tell me this? I've heard only members of the six families can enter, according to the agreement. Are you asking me to enter on behalf of your family? I'm not a family member, and surely, there must be others under twenty in your family."
Gou Fan took a deep breath. "There are indeed younger members in my family, but none have reached the Refining Energy Realm or achieved the level of Grandmaster Warrior. The other families, however, have entrants who are either Refining Energy cultivators or Grandmaster Warriors—some even have both. That's why I am here, to invite you. And as for becoming a member of my family… that can be arranged through marriage."
Rain's eyes widened slightly. "Marriage?" His thoughts drifted to Wang Yunxi, the body's fiancée, and the circumstances that led him to this world. The idea of marriage had practical appeal: if he accepted, he would gain deeper access to the immortal world, with more information about the mysteries of this realm.
Still, Rain didn't agree immediately. He knew nothing about the Gou family, and while they were an immortal family, they lived in the White Stone Mountain's core area, far from the mortal city of Wutan. Wutan was the largest city in the mountain's inner region and perhaps offered a way for him to learn more about them.
Rain replied thoughtfully, "I'll think about it."
Gou Fan was silent for a moment, then nodded. "I can give you two weeks. I'll be returning to the family then."
Rain asked, "All right, but where can I find you to give my answer? Your ship won't be staying in Wutan City for two weeks."
Gou Fan explained, "No, we're heading back to White Stone City tomorrow. But our family has business in Wutan. I'll inform them about you, and if you agree after two weeks, I'll come to retrieve you."
"What are the names of these places?" Rain asked.
Gou Fan replied, "Most of the shops with 'Gou' in the name are ours. The biggest one is the Gou Medical Shop. You can tell the person in charge there that you've agreed to enter the Secret Realm. The shop is managed by Gou Li, the family head's daughter and an immortal cultivator."
Rain raised an eyebrow. "An immortal cultivator managing a mortal shop?"
Gou Fan smiled slightly. "Her cultivation aptitude isn't the best, and she has a passion for medicine. In our family, every member is required to earn their own resources once they come of age—even the head's daughter. So she took over the medical shop to hone her skills in medicine."
As Gou Fan reached the door, Rain nodded. "Then in two weeks, I'll inform you of my decision."
Gou Fan paused, turning back. "I almost forgot to mention the reward. Anything you bring out from the Secret Realm, you'll get to keep 5%. Inside, there are rare herbs, fruits, and beasts that are nearly impossible to find in the outside world—some may even be extinct. There's also a chance you could find a precious spiritual plant to help you acquire a spirit body. Also, you'll have access to all the books on the ground floor of the family library, including a few Grandmaster techniques." Without giving Rain a chance to respond, he opened the door, exited, and closed it quietly behind him.
Rain mulled over the offer, his interest in accepting now significantly stronger. However, he had reservations. The first issue was marriage: would it be a mere formality for access to the Secret Realm, or would it require more commitment? He didn't want to be bound by marriage unless he felt assured about it—and his future spouse's appearance and personality is a factor. More importantly, he questioned the moral character and behavior of the Gou family. If they were treacherous, they might kill him to take all the resources he'd acquired after the Secret Realm, leaving him with no recourse.
If his body perished, finding another compatible vessel would be difficult, and sending his soul fragment to a new host would only add to his burdens. He resolved to make thorough inquiries about the Gou family once he arrived in Wutan City. "I'll need to visit the Black and White Holy Sect. They should know all about the six core families—and especially the Gou family," Rain thought.