"Alright."
Fat Long took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Since we are compatriots in this foreign world, we are practically family now. It looks like you don't quite understand this world yet; otherwise, you wouldn't have mentioned 'Cultivation Talent.' Let me give you a rough idea of what this world is like."
"This is a Cultivation World."
"But it's not quite the same as the worlds we've seen in Cultivation novels. There's no such thing as 'talent' here; anyone can cultivate if they are willing, or it depends on whether their Initial Entry is suitable for cultivation."
"Entry?"
"Exactly!"
Fat Long nodded vigorously, "This world is like a massive Cultivation game, with Secret Realms even having fixed opening times, and there are various leaderboards, such as the 'Heavenly Pride Leaderboard,' 'Beauty Leaderboard,' 'Cultivation Leaderboard,' and so on."
"Every now and then, there are regional announcements indicating when and where opportunities will arise, and countless cultivators will gather at these locations."
"There are also things like 'Sect Establishment Order,' 'City Building Order,' 'Country Establishment Order,' and if you're wanted, you'll have a red name displayed above your head."
"Right now, I am at the sixth layer of the Qi Refinement Realm, having just broken through. It's been almost five months since I came to this world."
"When I first got my entry, I thought it was my golden finger, but later I found out that everyone has this thing."
"Everyone who breaks through to the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm will get an entry, which is totally random. Most of them are the lowest white entries, like 'Logging Sacred Body,' which can chop wood much faster than others."
"Like 'Medicinal Herb Saint Hand,' it significantly increases the survival rate of planting Spirit Grass. It's not quite suitable for cultivation, but it can also enter the cultivation world to serve Alchemists."
"Basically, the entry you get when you break through to the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm will determine most mortals' future career path."
"The entry gained at the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm is mostly unrelated to combat power; they are basic entries. Only after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage do you have the chance to get some awesome entries. Many originally unremarkable fellow Daoists, after breaking through to Foundation Establishment Stage, luck out and get an extremely awesome entry, and then suddenly take off."
"After Qi Refinement Realm, every time you break through a Great Realm, you can choose one entry out of three random ones, such as the stages of Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and so on."
"To survive in this world, you must become an Immortal, otherwise, someone with Cultivation like mine can easily kill you. Think about it, isn't that dangerous?"
Chen Qiu nodded, although he did not understand why an Immortal at the sixth layer of the Qi Refinement Realm would be so frail, he did not agree with Fat Long's claim that killing him would be easy.
That was what he thought internally, but verbally he did not object. He roughly understood the situation of this world—it was like a game, yet it was reality, a fusion of game and Cultivation World.
"So, what was the entry you got when you broke through to the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm?"
"This..."
Fat Long's face suddenly showed a hint of difficulty, and after hesitating for a long time, he sighed deeply, "Well, showing you won't hurt. My luck wasn't very good; otherwise, I wouldn't have planned to establish a sect to pave the way for my Cultivation."
With a wave of his large hand,
a semi-transparent panel enveloped in mist suddenly appeared in mid-air. This sort of technique did indeed seem like something an Immortal would use.
'Entry Name': Nine Ox Power.
'Entry Level': White.
'Entry Effect': Possess nine oxen.
"..."
Chen Qiu's mouth unconsciously slowly opened, and after a while, he muttered, "What does 'possess nine oxen' mean... It's not literal, is it?"
"Hmm."
Fat Long nodded, a bit irritated. The first entry one got usually dictated a person's career path, yet he had randomly received this one, which irritated him every time he thought about it.
"Um... If I may ask, can I see it in action?"
"What do you think?"
"Then never mind."
Despite his irritation, Fat Long still took a deep breath and said earnestly, "Reaching the first layer of the Qi Refinement Stage is simple as long as you can perform introspection. All you need to do is concentrate, and if you can see the pathways of your body amidst the darkness, then you're successful."
"This is for free."
"Every City Lord Mansion of different cities offers this kind of free service. They will have you drink a Potion, and then help you perform introspection to successfully obtain the first entry. But, as the saying goes, the most expensive things are those that are free."
"If you happen to randomly get an entry suitable for 'Demon Cultivation' or 'Evil Cultivation,' which are somewhat negative, congratulations, you'll be beheaded on the spot."
"If you happen to randomly get an entry suitable for 'planting Spirit Grass' or 'cultivating Spirit Beasts,' congratulations, soon you'll be captured by some Cultivation sects like a Palu and spend your whole life doing these tasks in the sect."
"Of course, if you get some other normal entries, the government will recommend a career path suited for you."
"These are the paths the destitute take. Many still buy their own Potion to test their first entry on their own, so at least there's no danger to their lives."
"I just happen to have a bottle of Potion here. As a compatriot and seeing that you have a sharp mind, I'll give it to you. Afterward, would you recognize me as your boss and follow me without a problem?"
"..."
Chen Qiu remained silent, simply looking at the broken porcelain bottle in Fat Long's hand. After a moment of contemplation, he took the bottle and drank its contents in one gulp.
In the span of a moment.
He felt his head reel with dizziness, his eyelids involuntarily closing, and his body beginning to weaken.
At the same time.
A loud shout reached his ears.
"Sit cross-legged, close your eyes, and calm your heart!"
Chen Qiu did as instructed, and after a few breaths, he suddenly felt a ray of light appear in the darkness. He focused hard and saw the light growing ever further away, followed by an explosive brightness, and in that moment, he clearly saw the meridians within his body.
Simultaneously.
A panel enshrouded in clouds and mist, visible only to him, appeared before his eyes.
'Cultivation has greatly increased, officially entering the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm.'
'Acquired a random entry for the first time.'
'Randomizing...'
'Randomization successful, entry name "Step by Step".'
-
'Entry Name': Step by Step.
'Entry Level': Seven-colored.
'Entry Effect': Each time Cultivation advances one small realm, one entry will be obtained, and each time three random entries will appear, allowing the selection of one.
-
"How is it?"
As Chen Qiu slowly opened his eyes, Fat Long couldn't help moving closer with an expectant look, asking, "Well? Is the entry related to combat power? Typically, the first entry is likely unrelated to combat power."
"But if you're lucky enough to get an entry related to combat power, it could smoothly transition you to the Foundation Establishment Stage!"
"Once you reach the Foundation Establishment Stage, you will get to choose from three random entries each time, then you can freely select the one that suits you best."
"As soon as you reach the Foundation Establishment Stage, you're a true Immortal!"
"Unrelated."
After a long silence, Chen Qiu shook his head: "It's more of a long-term entry, not much use for the early stage."
He didn't elaborate.
And Fat Long didn't press for details.
At this point, Chen Qiu also discovered that after breaking through to the first layer of the Qi Refinement Realm, as long as he introspected, he could see a panel floating above his meridians, also wrapped in clouds and mist, within his body.
-
'Name': Chen Qiu.
'Cultivation': Qi Refinement Realm, first layer (0%).
'Entry': 'Step by Step'.
'Cultivation Technique': None.
'Spirit Beast': None.
'Force': None.
'Country': Da Xia Country.
-
At this time, his physical strength was almost the same as before, and his only means of attack was the somewhat worn cleaver in his arms, which didn't really match his stereotypical impression of Cultivation.
Just then—
A voice from beyond suddenly exploded in their ears.
'Heavenly Dao Decree': In response to the heartfelt calls of the residents, the Heavenly Dao bestows its blessing. A Heavenly Dao Secret Realm will appear in the bamboo forest three miles east of Fufeng City in Da Xia Country. Only Cultivators below the sixth layer of the Qi Refinement Realm may enter.
The entrance opens immediately and will close at sunset.
The moment the voice fell.
Chen Qiu instinctively glanced around. Aside from the two of them, there was no one else in the bamboo forest, yet the voice seemed to echo directly in his mind, heavy yet carrying a sense of ethereality.
"It's the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm!"
Just as Fat Long, who was beside him, was about to continue speaking, he heard the voice and immediately his face lit up with excitement, "I can't believe our luck, we've actually encountered the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm!"
"There are many types of secret realms, some are naturally formed by the Heavenly Dao response, and others are set up by predecessors before their death. There are many types, and although the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm isn't the one with the highest rewards, it's the safest."
"Moreover, everything follows the rules, there's nothing deliberately set to kill you, very suitable for low-level lackeys like us."
"I've been here for several months and only encountered it once; that time it allowed me to break through from the fourth level of the Qi Refinement Realm to the fifth level."
At the same time—
A slowly rotating white vortex, about two people tall, abruptly appeared three yards away from them.
This is the entrance to the secret realm.
This so-called voice of the Heavenly Dao is probably what Fat Long mentioned as the regional announcement.
...
"Secret Realm Name": Small World of Beans and Peas.
"Secret Realm Restriction": Only cultivators at the sixth level of the Qi Refinement Realm and below may enter.
"Secret Realm Type": 'Kill'.
"Secret Realm Introduction": Contains a small world with hidden Cultivation Techniques, Spirit Grass, and other treasures. A maximum of 100 cultivators allowed. The survivors by dawn can safely return to the large world.
-
Eager to rush into the white vortex entrance, Fat Long, after seeing the secret realm panel shrouded in mist in front of the vortex, suddenly stopped with an ugly expression and involuntarily took a few steps back.
"It seems our luck isn't that good after all."
"It's the rare 'Kill' type of Heavenly Dao Secret Realm."
"This type of Heavenly Dao Secret Realm is essentially like a slaughterhouse, extremely bloody with a high death rate."
Standing at the entrance to the secret realm, Chen Qiu could already hear a large number of footsteps coming from outside the bamboo forest, clearly, many cultivators were rapidly converging here, looking at the secret realm panel before them.
He had been chopping wood for 30 days in this world and had never thought that such a thing existed.
But he quickly accepted everything before him.
"You seem very scared. Aren't you at the sixth level of the Qi Refinement Realm? That's the highest allowable Cultivation level for this secret realm. Logically, you should be one of those dominating inside, right?"
"Heh."
Fat Long forced a smile with a somewhat unpleasant expression, "Brother Chen Qiu, you think too highly of me. Although I'm at the sixth level of the Qi Refinement Realm, I basically have no attack methods."
"Neither Cultivation Techniques nor spiritual weapons."
"Just a few talismans I've gathered these days for protecting my life."
"They are totally insufficient in there."
"The sixth level of the Qi Refinement Realm is a threshold. Only by breaking through it can one substantially enhance their physical strength, and by breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, releasing Spiritual Energy both defensively and offensively, then one truly becomes an Immortal."
"To be honest, the sixth level of the Qi Refinement Realm isn't much stronger than the first level; at most, I could take on three or four at the first level in a duel setting. If it's a mob fight, three or four would overpower me."
"If we encounter any cultivator in there who has a solid background, possesses Cultivation Techniques, and owns spiritual weapons at the sixth level of the Qi Refinement Realm, we would all be doomed in this secret realm."
"Let's not consider this secret realm; let's look for another one."
"Is that so?"
Chen Qiu glanced at the first batch of people who arrived and casually said, "But it seems like we can't avoid entering now."
The first batch of people to arrive, all clad in black hemp garments, each holding a chopping knife, with white cloth straps on their legs, appeared swift and powerful.
Each of them burly, with faces full of brute strength.
The leader of the group, a muscular man with a ferocious and ruthless expression, glared at Chen Qiu, grinning maliciously, "Kid, didn't expect to catch you here; you vanished after killing one of our brothers. We've been searching for you all day."
"It really is a case of enemies on a narrow road!"
Following that, a group of people pressed on even closer with each step.
Chen Qiu didn't speak, but he reached into his bosom to pull out a chopping axe. He then took a strip of cloth from his bosom and tightly bound the axe handle to his right hand. After this, he moved his body and scanned the local bullies slowly encroaching upon him.
He had chopped down a lone bully yesterday.
There was only one eyewitness at the scene, a woman who claimed to be three months pregnant and a fellow sufferer tormented by the bullies. After begging for a long while, he had felt pity for her.
And now, that woman was standing among these people, staring at him with malevolent eyes, holding a chopping axe as well, hardly looking like she was three months pregnant.
Well, consider it a lesson purchased.
If there's a next time, it'll be like a buy-one-get-one-free deal.
He didn't speak again but directly entered the white vortex beside him, disappearing from the spot. Not entering the Secret Realm would definitely mean a fierce battle waiting for him, while entering the Secret Realm still offered a slim chance.
The officials of Fufeng City were maintaining order at the city gate and could not attend to this spot in time.
...
"Uh..."
Seeing the group closing in, Fat Long unconsciously swallowed, raised both hands, and said with a bitter tone mixed with a crying voice, "I said I don't know him, do you believe me?"
"You must not harm innocent people!"
"What do you think?"
"Understood."
Seeing that things had come to this point, Fat Long knew he definitely couldn't escape alone. He stiffened his neck and shouted as he stepped boldly into the white vortex in front of him. He was naturally timid and, according to his nature, he would definitely not actively enter a 'kill' type Heavenly Dao Secret Realm.
But behind him was a pack of wolves.
...
"It's a 'kill' type Heavenly Dao Secret Realm."
Once both men had vanished into the Secret Realm, one of the underlings, after checking the Secret Realm panel, hesitated and then jogged to the side of the leading man, saying, "Boss, should we chase after them?"
"Chase my ass!"
The leading man sneered: "A 'kill' type Heavenly Dao Secret Realm, where if 100 go in, whether even 50 can come out alive is uncertain—it's a complete bloodbath. We'll just wait out here."
"Even if these two luckily come out, they'll definitely be critically injured. Then we can avenge our fallen brothers."
"If they die in there, then our brother's revenge is also claimed."
"Boss is wise!"
On hearing this, the people behind him also unconsciously relaxed and let out a long breath. They really did not want to enter a kill type Heavenly Dao Secret Realm; it wasn't just about threatening others with a knife—it meant genuinely fighting for their lives.
They were just local bullies after all.
And didn't really want to lay down their lives.
...
"I say, Brother Chen Qiu,"
The moment they entered the Secret Realm, Fat Long saw Chen Qiu looking around and said with a helpless expression, "How did you manage to provoke such a group of local bullies? Even if we make it out alive, they're surely waiting at the entrance, and we're bound to die at their hands."
"Hmm."
Chen Qiu didn't speak, merely holding the chopping axe and scanning the small world.
There were forests, grasslands, bushes, and even deserts.
It wasn't too small.
His plan was actually very simple. During his earlier talk with Fat Long, Fat Long had told him quite a few ways to enhance his Cultivation, one of which was to kill demon beasts.
He just needed to quickly break through to the second level of the Qi Refinement Realm, which would grant him a new entry. If he could acquire a combat type entry,
it wasn't impossible for him to survive.
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