booktalesy Chapter 99: Gathering of All Parties on the Eve of the Secret Realm
Chapter 99: Gathering of All Parties on the Eve of the Secret Realm
Lin Chen stood beside a stone pillar on the west side of the square, leaning against it, hands in his pockets, his gaze calmly sweeping over the crowd. His equipment was simple: the Star Sword on his back, a talisman given to him by Su Muyue on his belt, and his campus card and a few emergency pills in his pockets. No storage bag, no protective jade pendant, no fancy accessories. Standing with Qin Hao and his group, he seemed like someone from a different world.
Su Muyue squatted down beside him, spreading out the array flags one by one and counting them. The flags were silver-white, embroidered with dark red runes, each one different. She examined them carefully, not only counting them but also checking each flagpole for cracks, the flag itself for damage, and whether the ink on the runes had faded. She checked all twelve flags twice, making sure there were no problems, before rolling them up one by one, tying them tightly with a cloth strap, and stuffing them into the side pocket of her backpack.
Chu Fan stood on the other side of the stone pillar, holding a rolled-up map. He had drawn the map himself after spending several days in the library and reviewing dozens of documents; it was A3 size, folded several times, and the edges were frayed. He unfolded the map, placed it on the base of the pillar, and slowly moved his fingers across it while muttering to himself.
"The secret realm is divided into three layers. The outer layer is mostly inhabited by first and second-tier beasts, with low-level resources, but it's safe. The middle layer is dominated by third-tier beasts, and there are some ancient restrictions, so the resources are better. The core area—"
His finger stopped at a point circled in red in the center of the map, his fingernail pressing a mark into the paper.
"The core area contains Star Essence Liquid and ancient inheritances. But it's also the most dangerous place. Qin Hao and the Evil Clan will most likely ambush us there." He adjusted his glasses, looked up at Lin Chen, and said, "Don't rush in the early stages. First, establish a foothold on the outer perimeter, familiarize yourself with the terrain, and accumulate enough resources before advancing into the middle layers. We'll enter the core area on the last day."
Leng Feng stood on the outermost edge, facing the crowd, his back to Lin Chen. He took his battle sword from his back, held it horizontally in front of him, and slowly attached the amplification rune to the blade with his left hand. The moment the rune touched the blade, it lit up with a pale golden light, melting into the surface like water seeping into sand. A thin golden line, like a lightning bolt, was left on the blade. Leng Feng touched the line with his finger to confirm that it was embedded before sheathing the sword.
Su Ling'er squatted on the ground, her medicine box open. She took out the medicine bottles one by one, arranging them in a row in front of her, classifying them by their uses—healing, detoxifying, qi-tonifying, and exorcising evil. There were also a few bottles of strange and unusual things she had figured out herself, labeled with various symbols that only she could understand. After sorting them, she put the bottles back one by one, muttering something under her breath, as if she were silently memorizing the stock of various pills.
"Sister Muyue, do you think there really are ancient inheritances in the secret realm?" Su Ling'er looked up, her eyes sparkling. "Will there be lots and lots of rare and precious treasures? Like those spiritual fruits that can break through a major cultivation level just by eating them?"
As she spoke, her hands continued moving, stuffing a bottle of antidote pills into a small pocket on the side of the medicine box and fastening the buckle.
Su Muyue zipped up her backpack, stood up, and patted the dust off her knees. She smiled, a very soft smile.
"The secret realm is a branch of the First Martial Emperor's Mausoleum, and it definitely contains ancient inheritances and rare resources." Her tone was unhurried, as if she were talking to her younger sister. "But there are also high-level ferocious beasts, ancient restrictions, and evil races. We must stay close to the group and not get separated."
Chu Fan put the map away, tucked it into his backpack, and patted it to make sure it wouldn't fall out. He turned around to face the crowd, his eyes shining brightly behind his glasses.
"Stay on the outer perimeter first, don't be reckless. The beasts there are low-level, good for practice, and the resources, while not great, are enough for us. Be careful in the middle area; there are Tier 3 beasts, and teams from other schools will be fighting there. The core area—" He paused, "...is the last place we'll go."
Leng Feng gripped the hilt of his knife, his voice low and steady: "Stay calm in any situation, follow orders. If you encounter a strong enemy, I'll hold them off while you find an opportunity to escape. Don't linger in battle."
All four of them turned their gaze to Lin Chen.
Lin Chen straightened up, adjusting his back against the stone pillar. He looked at them, his gaze moving from Su Muyue's face to Chu Fan's, then to Su Ling'er's, and finally settling on Leng Feng's.
"Safety first," he said, his voice not loud, but every word clear. "Inheritance and resources are secondary. I want all of you to leave this secret realm safely."
He looked at Su Muyue.
"I am determined to obtain the Star Marrow Elixir. This time, your blood poison must be completely cured."
Su Muyue didn't speak, she just looked at him, her eyes were very calm.
Lin Chen then looked at the others.
"The evil race's conspiracy, no matter how many people they've planted in the secret realm, we will crush them all. No one can stop us."
Su Ling'er hummed in agreement and nodded vigorously. Chu Fan adjusted his glasses, not nodding, but his eyes were serious. Leng Feng tightened his grip on the hilt of his knife, remaining silent.
Chen Feng walked up to the high platform in the square.
He was wearing a black officer's uniform today, buttoned up to the top, with a megaphone token at his waist. He stood in the center of the platform, took out the token, put it to his lips, and took a deep breath.
"The rules for the Newcomer's Secret Realm Trial are as follows—"
His voice, amplified by the token, resounded throughout the entire square. The cacophony of voices seemed to be cut off, and everyone fell silent simultaneously, turning to look up at the platform.
"The Secret Realm Trial lasts for seven days. Points are calculated based on a combination of three factors: slaying ferocious beasts, acquiring resources, and discovering inheritances. The top ten will receive high-level cultivation techniques, a year's use of an S-level training room, and a recommendation from the Martial Arts Alliance."
His voice was steady, neither hurried nor slow.
"Malicious killing of fellow students is strictly prohibited. Violators will be expelled from Xingwu University and permanently banned from admission. Within the secret realm, the university will send observers, but they cannot intervene at all times. Everything depends on yourselves."
He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the square.
"Remember, safety comes first."
On the other side of the platform, Qin Cang sat in a grand chair.
He wore a dark blue robe, his white hair was neatly combed, and his face was expressionless as he calmly surveyed the crowd in the square. Two assistants dressed in black stood beside the armchair, their backs straight and motionless.
When Lin Chen's gaze swept across the platform, it met Qin Cang's.
The distance was too great to see his expression clearly. But Lin Chen could feel the gaze—not curiosity, not scrutiny, but a judgment, as if assessing the value of something. That kind of gaze was unsettling, like being stared at by a snake.
Qin Cang's gaze lingered on Lin Chen for two seconds before shifting away.