Chapter 39: Methods to Obtain a Secret Realm Quota

Page (1/3)

Gao Wu had heard much about the secret realms from Li Maozhen and was quietly pleased, but unexpectedly, Li Maozhen suddenly sighed aloud.

“In the old days, there were only two comprehensive secret realms in the world: one was the Royal Secret Realm, and the other was called the Netherworld Secret Realm.”

At the mere mention of “Netherworld,” Gao Wu felt a headache coming on. What exactly was this Netherworld Sect, that it dared to stand shoulder to shoulder with the royal family?

“Could this Netherworld Secret Realm actually be the secret realm of the Netherworld Sect?”

Li Maozhen nodded firmly. “Yes, it’s precisely the Netherworld Sect that was annihilated ten years ago.”

Gao Wu narrowed his eyes and looked at Li Maozhen. ‘This woman suddenly bringing up the Netherworld Sect and its secret realm—it seems she’s suspecting my identity!’

Though he sensed Li Maozhen’s unusual behavior, he couldn’t yet discern her true intentions. These sect leaders and guild masters, who dominated their regions, were not benign individuals.

He wanted to ask Li Maozhen more about the Netherworld Sect, but she excused herself, saying it was late and she needed to rest.

“How is it? I told you he couldn’t resist female temptation. Look at those two now—they’re like lovers under the moonlight!”

Inside the inn room, Zhou Zhiruo lay on the bed bored out of her mind.

Liu Yifei was still lying on her hemp mat nearby, swaying slightly with a soft laugh. “Gao Wu has important matters to discuss with Li Maozhen, probably about the secret realms. It’s not just for himself, but so the three of us can break through our bottlenecks sooner.”

“Hmph, our strength improves only to serve that guy,” Zhou Zhiruo rolled over. “I just wonder why we have to be his subordinates. Look at him—neither scholarly nor martial, hardly the type to be a sect leader!”

“True, he doesn’t look like a sect leader,” Liu Yifei replied calmly. “But he can make you the head of a sect.”

At that moment, Zhao Liying, who had been holding a blade and staying alert, turned back and said, “Exactly. I’m so jealous!”

“Tch, who cares!” Zhou Zhiruo grumbled, then continued, “By the way, Liying, if you want to lead a hall, it’s not difficult! The Sun Simiao of Kaifeng City originally served under Yang Xian. Since you’ve taken Yang Xian’s position, he should be under your command, right?”

“Oh? Really? How many people does he have? Is it a big sect?”

Zhao Liying hadn’t yet met Doctor Sun and was unaware of his status and situation.

Zhou Zhiruo suddenly realized she might have misspoken. If Zhao Liying found out she was recommending an empty shell, she’d likely get upset.

“Uh, you’d better ask Gao Wu about it.”

“Good, he just came back!”

As soon as Gao Wu returned to the room, before Zhao Liying could speak, he said first, “Incredible! It turns out the Netherworld Sect was an existence comparable to the royal family!”

Page (2/3)

“What do you mean?”

“Oh?”

“That powerful? Tell us more!”

The three women reacted differently, but all shared one thing: intense curiosity.

The next day, Gao Wu, accompanied by the four women and the group of outlaws, returned to Kaifeng City.

Though they had only been gone for a few days, the merging of the Xuanming Sect into the Netherworld Sect signaled a revival of the latter’s power.

At the Duke of Tang’s mansion, Gao Wu smoothly met with the Commander of the Outlaws, handed him a copy of the incomplete “Nine Nether Mysterious Heavenly Divine Art,” and expressed his gratitude for the Commander’s assistance.

Suddenly recalling the issue of secret realms, Gao Wu decided to seek advice from the Commander, who was the only expert in the Mysterious Gate realm he knew so far.

As a modern man, Gao Wu was accustomed to asking questions when in doubt.

“Commander, I have a question.”

“Oh? Please ask.”

“I’ve heard that for warriors to break through the Innate realm, they must enter a secret realm. Is that true?”

“Correct. The secret realm is the only place where one can break through the Innate realm. Innate means reaching the unity of heaven and man, able to freely manipulate the qi between heaven and earth. Beyond that, it’s impossible in this world. Hence, the secret realms were born—they can block heavenly secrets and stand apart from the world, so when you break through, the heavenly way cannot suppress you.”

So that was the case. The Commander’s explanation was much closer to the essence.

“Don’t take breaking through the Innate realm lightly. Though the three young ladies under your command are exceptionally talented, advancing to the Mysterious Gate realm is an incredibly difficult hurdle. Entering the secret realm alone isn’t enough, and each person can only enter three times in their lifetime. Even if by chance they succeed, the cost is tremendous.”

As he spoke, the Commander slowly removed the mask from his face, revealing a terrifying visage.

“My face was destroyed while advancing to the Mysterious Gate realm. If those three young ladies encounter the same fate, I wonder if they could survive.”

“Ah! This...” Gao Wu was at a loss for words, not expecting the Commander’s disfigurement to have such a story.

“Gao, you are friendly with my Xingyun. I advise you, do not rush your advancement to the Mysterious Gate realm.”

“Thank you, Commander.”

The Commander shook his head and sighed, “Demons in the north are watching hungrily, and the human realm is in turmoil. Human nature is truly complicated. Fortunately, there is the Northern Liang King and his hundred thousand iron cavalry!”

Page (3/3)

“Demons? Northern Liang King?”

Gao Wu left the Duke of Tang’s mansion deep in thought. Liu Yifei and Zhao Liying were escorting him today.

According to plan, they were to visit the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion next.

Throughout the journey, Gao Wu remained silent.

Only after leaving the Pavilion did he sigh, “This damned Great Zhou is truly a headache.”

Growth is a process of self-cultivation—each cut removes immaturity, leaving scars of growth and pain behind.

After all, Gao Wu was just an ordinary young man from the modern world.

After the initial thrill and danger upon entering Great Zhou, all that remained was exhaustion.

Zhao Liying drove the carriage, Liu Yifei sat opposite Gao Wu, observing his pained expression, and said, “Since we’re here, we must make the best of it. We’re one body; whatever difficulties we face, we’ll discuss them together once we return.”

Liu Yifei carried an aura of calm that naturally settled the heart when she was nearby.

Back at the Qingfeng Inn, Zhong Xiaokui stood guard outside while the four gathered inside for a meeting.

“Everyone, the Royal Secret Realm seems the most stable, but the spots are rare. There are several ways to obtain a spot; let’s discuss them together.”

“The first is recommendation from each Duke’s mansion. However, each mansion only has one spot per year, so it's obviously hard to come by.”

Each Duke’s mansion only had one recommendation spot annually, and even then, it was unlikely to be theirs.

“The second method is purchasing a spot through the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. Each year, there are at least one, sometimes three to five spots released, depending on luck—and of course, money.”

The Pavilion was indeed powerful. When Gao Wu met Shopkeeper Tong, as soon as he mentioned the secret realm, Tong immediately launched a sales pitch. Every Lantern Festival, the capital’s Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion held a grand auction, with the most important item being these secret realm spots.

“The third is to join the Seven Stars Hall early, serve them, and earn the qualification to enter the secret realm.”

Page (3/3)