There are quite a few large organizations in the New Star, but joining unfamiliar teams can easily lead to becoming cannon fodder. Those major powers can certainly do such things—luring monsters, sending people out to scout, or covering retreat at critical moments. Such dirty and tiring jobs are tailor-made for someone like him, a passerby.
However, Zhao Qinghan was his classmate; regardless of the situation, she wouldn't intentionally send him to his death. She had explicitly said she wanted him to stay by her side. Unless the situation became overly dangerous, the uncertainty of human factors would be greatly reduced.
He also knew Wu Chenglin, Wu Yin, and the siblings Zhong Qing and Zhong Cheng, but those connections were made under his identity as Master Wang. Now, as Wang Xuan, he couldn't go to either family.
Back in Old Earth, he had once kicked Big Wu into a lake; now, if he were to visit the Wu family in his true form, Big Wu would probably find a way to shove him into a dead end to scout!
"When are we setting off?" Wang Xuan asked for the specifics.
Zhao Qinghan smiled, "We'll wait for some senior experts to clear the path before we embark, probably in the next few days. Some people are more anxious than us."
The old men, indecisive until now, would strike with overwhelming force, fearing they'd fall behind and lose out on precious treasures.
Clearly, the old men might team up as well. With their path cleared, this operation would be significantly safer.
"In the next couple of days, I'll talk to the Zhong family to try to get Zhong Qing and Zhong Cheng to join us," Zhao Qinghan informed him.
"Why the Zhong family?" Wang Xuan asked.
Zhao Qinghan tucked her hair behind her ear and said, "If my guess is correct, forming an alliance with them would be safer."
She explained calmly that Old Zhong might not have returned yet!
That simple statement left Wang Xuan dumbfounded. Old Zhong was still in the Secret Realm? That was beyond his expectations.
Zhao Qinghan shook her head, "It's just a small possibility; it may not be true."
But as long as there was a possibility, it was worth trying. Bringing those siblings along would also be beneficial, as the Zhong family was strong; forming an alliance would surely not be a loss.
If Old Zhong hadn't returned, one possibility was that he had been hunted down, ultimately abandoning the lifeboat and losing contact with the outside world. Another possibility was that he intentionally hadn't returned, stirring enough waves to get a group of old men to go crazy clearing the way, hoping to fish in troubled waters and achieve something big.
Zhao Qinghan analyzed that, considering Old Zhong's fearful nature, the first possibility seemed greater.
Wang Xuan shook his head, believing that if Old Zhong hadn't returned, the second possibility was more likely. He always thought this old fellow was ruthless; he wouldn't act unless it was a big deal, and when he did, it would be earth-shattering.
Just like this time—who could have guessed that the most cautious Old Zhong, with a few years left to live, would personally go to the Secret Realm? He was the first among the financial elite to take such a risk.
Since he dared to act so wildly, it was not unlikely he would aim high. While the old men were being provoked to attack the Secret Realm, he might take the opportunity to grab some heavenly herbs.
Zhao Qinghan smiled, "The chance of him returning to the New Star is over eighty percent, while the chance he's still in the Secret Realm is less than twenty percent. So, we don't need to think too much; let's focus on forming an alliance with the Zhong family."
She believed Old Zhong was a top expert in the Old Technique realm, and if he was still in the Secret Realm, it would be a huge gain.
Wang Xuan nodded, but in his heart, he was thinking about how to enhance himself after entering the Secret Realm. As long as he could advance a level, he would become a great master!
If he successfully collected treasures in the Secret Realm, he might directly break into the extraordinary realm. At that time, the celestial beings would return to their domains, and the human realm would return to Wang Xuan. No matter who dared to cause trouble, they would have to deal with him.
Wang Xuan showed Zhao Qinghan the contract from the New Source Exploration Team, mentioning that their survival rate was quite high.
Zhao Qinghan glanced at it and laughed, swinging her long, fair legs without caring about her image. She told Wang Xuan straightforwardly that it was a scam.
The New Source Exploration Team was a front for a certain financial group, and they were currently struggling to recruit people, which was why they resorted to such tactics.
Wang Xuan's face darkened immediately. His initial judgment hadn't been wrong? A group of scammers was trying to fool him.
Last night, those people had been passionately declaring that Old Zhong, over a hundred years old, was still fighting hard. What reason did they have not to take action to change their fate?
Now it seemed this group of con artists had completely set their sights on him; otherwise, they wouldn't be so eager!
Although Wang Xuan had always been very vigilant and had never believed them, he still felt his anger rising. For many days, this group had been acting, thinking they could definitely lure him into the Secret Realm, believing he was an easy target!
"Whose front is it?"
Zhao Qinghan looked at him, amused by his reaction. "You want to stir up trouble? It's either the Qin family or the Song family."
Wang Xuan gritted his teeth, remembering that. "Once we're in the Secret Realm, those people will be educated!"
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Then Zhao Qinghan became serious, her fair, oval face filled with gravity. She told him that before going to the Secret Realm, it was best to undergo some "training" for a few days.
Otherwise, relying solely on her introduction would clearly be insufficient. The Zhao family had a base in the western region that could systematically enhance his survival skills in the Secret Realm.
Wang Xuan didn't refuse; he was completely in the dark about the Secret Realm, only having learned some information from that group of con artists, which now seemed to have a lot of exaggerations!
He absolutely despised those scammers. Although he hadn't been scammed out of anything, being targeted by them was an insult to Master Wang.
"Should we have a gathering with the New Star classmates?" Zhao Qinghan asked him.
Wang Xuan shook his head. "Let's wait until we return from the Secret Realm to gather. Right now, I need to quickly understand the conditions in that extraordinary place."
This trip was a life-and-death gamble; he took it seriously and didn't dare to be careless, especially since that place could easily lead to annihilation!
Wang Xuan returned to his residence, quickly packed his things, and took his short sword. He then contacted the local branch of Old Chen's secret path organization in Yuan City and spoke with the person in charge.
"Please inform Qingmu that their protector is going to the Secret Realm soon and will soon become the King of Gathering Herbs. Ask if Comrade Lighting the Lamp wants to join."
The person in charge of the Yuan City branch was speechless. This young man… spoke in such cryptic terms, what a mess of nonsense!
As Wang Xuan left, he didn't see the little girl Lele, but he made a decision in his heart. He hoped she could hold on until he returned from the Secret Realm.
He boarded Zhao Qinghan's small spaceship and headed west, surprised to find himself entering the Misty Plateau. This place was not unfamiliar to him; he had painful memories associated with it!
Seeing his troubled expression, Zhao Qinghan couldn't help but laugh and ask, "Have you been here before?"
"Not at all!" Wang Xuan denied vehemently.
The Misty Plateau was vast, covering over nine million square kilometers, with large areas of uninhabited zones suitable for bases. The Zhao family had a section here. Wang Xuan had previously seen a similar place from afar and had kept his distance.
"You can study systematically here. I'll come check on you in a couple of days," Zhao Qinghan said as she dropped him off. She had many matters to handle, including forming alliances and determining the safest paths in the Secret Realm, as well as which extraordinary herbs to gather, all of which required careful consideration.
The base was extensive, with dense primeval forests visible in the distance, alongside towering snow-capped mountains. Upon arrival, Wang Xuan's first lesson was to understand the general environment of the Secret Realm.
A kindly middle-aged woman explained that the gravity in the Secret Realm was slightly greater than that of New Star, the atmospheric pressure was a bit higher, and the oxygen was more concentrated. Therefore, those heading to the Secret Realm needed stronger lung capacity.
Fortunately, the parameters of the Secret Realm weren't vastly different from those of New Star; the slight deviations made it accessible to humans. If the gravity were several times greater, it would be tantamount to a death sentence for an average person.
The woman continued, "In the Secret Realm, the biggest issue is the dense X substance, which, after prolonged exposure, can cause malfunctions in various precision equipment."
Even super battleships had crashed there; the X substance had terrifying penetrative power and was nearly impossible to defend against. There were strict time limits for entering and exiting the Secret Realm; ships couldn't linger too long and had to follow set protocols, or accidents could occur.
As such, many precise and powerful technological weapons were rendered ineffective there. A mecha worth over a hundred million could operate for only about half an hour before "breaking down"—a loss that no one could afford.
"This area is also unfriendly to those following the New Technique path. The X substance erodes the 'God Particle', and prolonged exposure can lead to horrific bodily mutations."
Wang Xuan learned a great deal and began to understand the Secret Realm gradually.
Next, an elder taught him about the flora and fauna of the Secret Realm. The elder first handed him a book on herbs, filled with descriptions and images of various rare plants and minerals, including descriptions and pictures of heavenly herbs.
"Entering a treasure trove only to miss the extraordinary due to ignorance would be a pity," the elder said. Wang Xuan nodded, recognizing the importance of this book, which was more comprehensive than the one Old Chen had given him.
The elder then provided him with another book detailing various poisonous substances and high-dangerous creatures. This was equally important; prior knowledge would greatly enhance survival chances. The elder warned that the dangers in the Secret Realm far exceeded what was recorded in the book, with many threats yet undiscovered. Caution and vigilance were essential there.
The elder was very thorough, teaching him a lot, even mentioning ordinary beasts and fruits that could serve as food if one were to get lost in the Secret Realm.
"Remember, these two fruits look similar; one is edible, while the other is poisonous!"
Wang Xuan was grateful to the elder; he truly learned a lot. With his exceptional memory from having formed a mental domain, he quickly grasped the information, leaving the elder surprised and nodding repeatedly.
Afterward, Wang Xuan was taken to learn about "combat."
"There are some special insects and monsters in the Secret Realm. You might excel in battles against people, but when facing those creatures, you may initially struggle."
A specialist explained how to deal with those creatures in the most efficient manner, greatly broadening Wang Xuan's understanding. Like a sponge soaking up water, he continuously absorbed new knowledge and gradually gained a deep understanding of the dangerous nature of the Secret Realm, which required utmost caution.
Two days later, Zhao Qinghan returned, bringing a companion with her.
From a distance, Wang Xuan recognized her and couldn't help but mutter to himself that it was a small world—encountering her here was quite unexpected.
Wu Yin was initially stunned, then somewhat disbelieving. How could she run into this guy again in New Star? Why was he everywhere?
Wang Xuan thought to himself, although Big Wu still looked stunning with her perfect curves, her expression turned frosty upon seeing his true form. Why was the treatment so different now?
When he was Master Wang, they had enjoyed friendly conversations, but now her eyes seemed to be shooting daggers at him!
He reflected that during their first meeting, he had diagnosed Wu Yin's "pathology," and the second time, he had accidentally kicked her. Could those minor incidents be held against him for life?
"You two are… old acquaintances?" Zhao Qinghan asked in surprise.
"Yeah, I often ran into Big Wu on Old Earth; we're old friends," Wang Xuan greeted.
"Hehe…" Big Wu didn't give him a pleasant look; she remembered the offenses he had committed.
Big Wu left shortly after arriving. Zhao Qinghan informed Wang Xuan that she had allied with the Wu family and also reached an agreement with Little Zhong.
Wang Xuan was taken aback. It seemed the title "Little Zhong" was quite famous; even Zhao Qinghan mentioned it casually.
Wang Xuan stayed at the base for five days, intensely learning and deepening his understanding, which satisfied the instructors, who noted his quick and solid grasp of the material.
On the seventh day, Zhao Qinghan told Wang Xuan it was time to set off!
The allied groups would gather near the Secret Realm, and the Zhao family's team was about to depart.
Wang Xuan boarded the warship. Their exploration team consisted of thirty-six people—not too many—mainly picking up the scraps behind a group of old men.
After leaving New Star, the warship eventually arrived at a planet called Deep Space No. 19, from which they would depart through the star gate.
Wang Xuan was shocked; they were about to traverse a wormhole. This indicated just how far the Secret Realm was from New Star, as even a warship with a warp drive couldn't go directly there.
At the same time, he wondered how the people of New Star had discovered the Secret Realm. Did they construct this wormhole themselves?
As the warship passed through the wormhole, they entered an unfamiliar starry expanse, definitely far from the star system of New Star, approaching the Secret Realm!