Morning light slowly spread across the city of Yuelan.
The city had grown rapidly over the past few years. What had once been a quiet territory on the outskirts of the continent had transformed into one of the most vibrant places under the Lin Clan's influence.
Wide stone avenues stretched between orderly districts. Along the main roads, strange vehicles occasionally rolled by — metal machines powered by soul tools rather than beasts. Smaller ones, called motorcycles, darted between the larger transport cars.
Below the elevated rail lines, people were already starting their day.
A sleek train slid into the station with a soft mechanical hum. Doors opened, releasing a steady stream of passengers: merchants carrying goods, students in academy uniforms, cultivators traveling for work, and ordinary citizens beginning another day in the rapidly changing city.
A few elderly men sat around a table outside a tea shop, arguing loudly.
"I'm telling you, the East District team cheated!"
"That was clearly outside the line!"
"You don't even know the rules!"
A younger man rolled his eyes.
"The rule is simple. If you shoot from outside the arc, it's three points."
One of the old men frowned.
"Then why does everyone keep shouting 'two points'?"
The younger man sighed.
"Because they're shooting from inside the arc!"
Nearby, a group of children ran across a small public court.
"Pass! Pass!"
"I'm open!"
"Shoot it!"
The ball flew through the air.
It struck the rim of the metal hoop and bounced away, sending the children chasing after it with laughter.
Scenes like this had become increasingly common in Yuelan.
Sports — strange games originally introduced by the young patriarch of the Lin Clan — had slowly spread through the city. At first people had thought the idea was strange. Cultivators were used to training, dueling, or meditating, not running around chasing a ball.
But over time the activities became surprisingly popular.
They were simple.
Competitive.
And strangely addictive.
Even cultivators occasionally joined the games when they weren't training.
Not everyone liked to admit it.
But many of them enjoyed it.
At the center of the city, beyond several carefully arranged districts, stood the Lin Clan Estate.
Unlike the noisy city streets, the estate grounds were quiet.
Morning mist lingered among the gardens.
Ancient trees swayed gently in the breeze while faint spiritual energy drifted through the air.
In one of the open courtyards, several young cultivators had gathered.
Lin Huang stood near the edge of the stone platform, casually leaning against a pillar.
On top of his head, a small figure lay comfortably stretched across his hair.
A tiny fox.
Soft cerulean fur.
Nine small tails lazily draped behind her.
Tushan Honghong appeared to be asleep.
Or at least pretending to be.
Her tails occasionally flicked slightly whenever the conversation around her grew louder.
Nearby, Xiao Hongchen stretched his arms lazily.
"I'm bored."
No one responded immediately.
Huo Yuhao was sitting on a nearby bench, quietly examining a small soul tool component he had been adjusting earlier.
Chen Zifeng leaned against a stone railing with his arms crossed.
Ji Juechen stood silently nearby, his expression as calm and unreadable as ever.
Xiao Hongchen looked around the courtyard dramatically.
"Every day it's cultivation."
He pointed toward the training hall.
"Cultivation."
Then toward the meditation pavilion.
"Cultivation."
Then toward the weapon training field.
"More cultivation."
He dropped his arms.
"Does this territory have anything normal to do?"
Ji Juechen glanced at him briefly.
"…Training."
"That's still cultivation!"
Chen Zifeng chuckled slightly.
Yuhao raised his head.
"Well… there are the new arenas in the city."
Xiao Hongchen blinked.
"Arenas?"
Lin Huang finally spoke.
"Yes."
His voice was calm and casual.
"They finished construction recently."
Xiao Hongchen turned toward him immediately.
"What kind of arenas?"
Lin Huang didn't answer right away.
Instead he reached down and picked up a ball resting beside the stone steps.
It was made from reinforced spiritual leather.
He spun it lightly on one finger.
"Sports."
Xiao Hongchen stared at the spinning ball.
"…You built an entire arena for this?"
Lin Huang shrugged.
"Several."
Chen Zifeng raised an eyebrow.
"Several?"
"It's a complex."
Yuhao looked interested.
"The one near the east district?"
Lin Huang nodded.
"The Yuelan Central Sports Complex."
Ji Juechen looked at the ball briefly.
"…Games?"
Lin Huang flicked the ball upward and caught it again.
"Physical movement."
"Strategy."
"Coordination."
Xiao Hongchen snorted.
"That sounds suspiciously like training."
Lin Huang shrugged again.
"Then consider it training."
Honghong shifted slightly on top of his head.
One golden eye opened lazily.
"…If it's boring, I'm going back to sleep."
Lin Huang didn't even look up.
"Then sleep."
Xiao Hongchen straightened suddenly.
"Wait."
He pointed at the ball.
"Is that the game we saw people playing in the square yesterday?"
"Basketball."
Chen Zifeng nodded.
"That one looked interesting."
Yuhao seemed curious.
"How do you win?"
Lin Huang tossed the ball lightly toward Xiao Hongchen.
"Put the ball through the ring."
Xiao Hongchen caught it awkwardly.
"…That's it?"
"That's it."
Xiao Hongchen stared at the ball.
Then slowly grinned.
"…Alright."
He bounced it once against the stone floor.
"Let's go."
Ji Juechen quietly followed.
Yuhao stood and packed away his small tool.
Chen Zifeng pushed himself off the railing.
Lin Huang turned toward the courtyard gate.
Honghong shifted slightly on his head, curling one tail around his hair.
"…This better not be boring."
Lin Huang walked calmly toward the exit.
"We'll see."
And moments later, the small group left the estate grounds, heading toward the newest addition to Yuelan City.
The Yuelan Central Sports Complex.
The Lin Clan estate was rarely quiet.
Even when the main courtyard seemed calm, servants, disciples, and visiting cultivators moved constantly through the halls and gardens.
Messages were delivered.
Resources were transported.
Formation arrays were inspected.
The territory surrounding Yuelan had grown too quickly for the estate to ever truly rest.
Still, compared to the lively city outside, the inner gardens remained peaceful.
At least for a few minutes.
In one of the open pavilions near the lotus ponds, several women were gathered around a low stone table.
Tea steamed gently in delicate cups.
Zi Ji leaned comfortably against the back of her chair, watching the koi fish swim beneath the clear water.
Bingdi sat nearby with her arms crossed, her expression cool as always.
Xuedi stood quietly beside the railing, gazing across the gardens with calm eyes.
Tang Ya and Xu Tianzhen were arguing quietly about something involving formation arrays.
Su Mei sat nearby, happily eating a small plate of desserts she had prepared earlier.
Ning Tian and Ju Zi were discussing some financial reports from the Continental Institute of Fundamental Arts.
Ling Luochen listened quietly while polishing a small ice-crystal focus tool.
Wu Feng leaned against a nearby pillar.
And a short distance away, Han Ruoruo watched the entire group with an amused expression.
It was, in many ways, a strangely peaceful scene.
Until a servant hurried past the pavilion entrance.
Meng noticed immediately.
"Wait."
The servant stopped nervously.
"Yes, miss?"
"Where did Lin Huang go?"
The servant hesitated.
"Young master left the estate earlier."
"With who?"
"With several young masters."
Meng frowned.
"Where?"
The servant scratched his head.
"They said they were going to the entertainment district."
Silence.
Ning Tian slowly lifted her teacup.
"Entertainment district?"
Ju Zi paused mid-sentence.
Her brows slowly furrowed.
"…That's a strange choice of words."
Tang Ya blinked.
"What does that mean?"
Xu Tianzhen looked curious.
"Yes, what exactly is an entertainment district?"
Ju Zi glanced at Ning Tian.
Ning Tian sighed quietly.
"In many cities…"
She paused slightly.
"…that phrase refers to certain… establishments."
Tang Ya leaned forward.
"What establishments?"
Ju Zi answered calmly.
"…brothels."
The pavilion fell completely silent.
Su Mei blinked.
"…What's a brothel?"
Xu Tianzhen immediately covered her mouth to hide a laugh.
Tang Ya turned bright red.
Wu Feng choked slightly.
Ling Luochen blinked slowly.
But Meng—
Meng froze.
Her entire body went rigid.
"…What."
Ning Tian coughed lightly.
"Well, technically it's not always—"
Meng suddenly slammed her hands on the table.
"WHAT?!"
The teacups rattled.
Several koi fish scattered in the pond.
"He went where?!"
The servant panicked immediately.
"I—I'm not completely sure—!"
"You said entertainment district!"
"Yes!"
"That means brothels!"
"I—I don't know!"
The servant looked ready to cry.
Bingdi raised an eyebrow.
"…You're overreacting."
Meng turned toward her instantly.
"I am NOT overreacting!"
She pointed toward the city.
"That idiot went to a brothel!"
Xuedi looked slightly confused.
"…Why?"
Tang Ya tried to keep a straight face.
"Well…"
Xu Tianzhen leaned closer to her.
"Technically speaking…"
"…a lot of men do visit places like that."
Meng looked like she was about to explode.
Her face was turning red.
"Lin Huang already has a whole group around him!"
She waved her arms dramatically.
"Why would he go somewhere like that?!"
Su Mei slowly raised her hand.
"…Is it a place with food?"
Tang Ya lost control and started laughing.
Xu Tianzhen leaned against the table trying not to fall over.
Wu Feng covered her face.
Ju Zi sighed quietly.
"This is probably a misunderstanding."
Ning Tian nodded.
"Most likely."
But Meng had already stood up.
"We're going."
Tang Ya blinked.
"Wait, what?"
"We're going to the entertainment district."
Xu Tianzhen grinned.
"I suddenly support this plan."
Bingdi stood slowly.
"Hmph."
"If he actually went somewhere like that…"
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…I'll freeze the entire building."
Wu Feng cracked her knuckles.
"I'll burn it."
Ning Tian rubbed her forehead.
"This is escalating very quickly."
Ling Luochen calmly stood as well.
"If this is a misunderstanding, it should be clarified."
Xuedi tilted her head slightly.
"…I would like to see this place."
Tang Ya looked at her in horror.
"That's NOT the reason to go!"
Han Ruoruo finally pushed herself away from the pillar.
She stretched slightly.
"I was wondering when things would get interesting."
She smiled faintly.
"Let's go."
Meanwhile, far across the city…
Completely unaware of the approaching chaos…
Lin Huang was about to finish another point on the basketball court.
=======================================================
=======================================================
The Yuelan Central Sports Complex was easily one of the largest buildings in the city.
The structure spread across several districts, its outer walls decorated with banners displaying various symbols representing different sports.
Citizens constantly moved in and out of the entrances.
Some came to watch.
Others came to play.
The entire place carried an energy that felt strangely different from traditional cultivation arenas.
Instead of tense silence and spiritual pressure, the air here was filled with laughter, shouting, and excitement.
Deep inside the complex, one particular arena had gathered a small crowd.
Not the civilian courts.
Those were located in the outer sections of the building.
This was the cultivator arena.
A section specifically designed for people whose physical strength far exceeded normal limits.
The floor of the court was made from reinforced spiritual stone, engraved with subtle formation arrays that dispersed heavy impacts.
The backboards were forged from dense alloy metals infused with spiritual energy.
Even the basketball itself was reinforced.
Ordinary equipment would not survive long in the hands of cultivators.
At the center of the court, two figures faced each other.
Lin Huang.
And Xiao Hongchen.
Above them, a large display board showed the score.
17 – 6
Xiao Hongchen wiped sweat from his forehead.
His usually confident expression looked increasingly frustrated.
"This game makes no sense."
Across from him, Lin Huang casually dribbled the ball.
Honghong lay comfortably on top of his head in miniature form, apparently sleeping through the entire match.
Her tails occasionally flicked lazily whenever the ball bounced too close to her ears.
Lin Huang spoke calmly.
"You said you wanted a rematch."
Xiao Hongchen pointed at him.
"Again!"
The ball bounced once.
Twice.
Then Lin Huang tossed it toward him.
"Your possession."
Xiao Hongchen caught it.
His eyes narrowed.
This time he moved faster.
He drove forward aggressively, dribbling the ball low as he rushed toward the basket.
Lin Huang moved with him.
Xiao Hongchen suddenly spun.
A sharp change in direction.
He leapt upward toward the rim.
The ball left his hands.
SWISH
The ball passed cleanly through the hoop.
The scoreboard changed.
17 – 8
On the sidelines, Huo Yuhao nodded.
"Inside the arc. Two points."
Chen Zifeng crossed his arms.
"He's finally adapting."
Ji Juechen stood quietly nearby.
At first he had seemed uninterested.
Now his eyes followed every movement on the court.
"…Interesting."
Xiao Hongchen landed and pointed at Lin Huang.
"Your turn."
Lin Huang caught the ball as it bounced back.
He didn't rush.
He walked slowly toward the three-point line.
Spun the ball on one finger.
Then shot.
SWISH
Perfect.
The scoreboard changed again.
20 – 8
Chen Zifeng nodded.
"Three points."
Yuhao blinked.
"That was really far."
Xiao Hongchen groaned.
"Stop doing that!"
Lin Huang shrugged.
"You said to score."
Ji Juechen stepped forward slightly.
He caught the ball as it rolled toward the sidelines.
He bounced it once experimentally.
"…The rhythm is interesting."
Lin Huang glanced at him.
"Strategy and timing."
Ji Juechen nodded slowly.
"…I see."
Before the next round could begin—
The doors of the arena burst open.
BANG
Several heads turned.
A group of women had just entered the arena.
And they did not look happy.
At the front stood Meng.
Behind her came the rest:
Zi Ji
BingdiXuediBi JiYe GuyiWu FengTang YaXu TianzhenNing TianJu ZiLing LuochenHan Ruoruo
Gu Yuena
The entire group radiated an extremely dangerous atmosphere.
The players on the court paused.
Xiao Hongchen blinked.
"…Why do they look like they're about to kill someone?"
Yuhao tilted his head.
"…Did something happen?"
Chen Zifeng frowned slightly.
Ji Juechen simply observed silently.
Lin Huang glanced toward the entrance.
Then toward Meng.
Then back toward the others.
And immediately understood.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
He spun the basketball slowly on one finger.
Then spoke casually.
"You thought we came to a brothel."
Silence.
For one full second…
None of the boys reacted.
Then realization struck.
Yuhao immediately turned his head away.
Chen Zifeng covered his mouth.
Ji Juechen closed his eyes briefly.
Xiao Hongchen's shoulders started shaking.
All of them were trying extremely hard not to laugh.
Lin Huang flicked the ball upward.
Without even looking at the hoop—
He shot.
SWISH
The ball dropped perfectly through the rim.
The scoreboard changed again.
23 – 8
Lin Huang caught the ball as it bounced back toward him.
Then looked calmly at the group of women.
"Do you want to play?"
Xiao Hongchen finally lost control.
He burst into laughter.
And the peaceful sports complex of Yuelan…
Was about to become significantly more chaotic.
After the brief moment of confusion at the basketball court, the tension dissolved quickly.
Mostly because Xiao Hongchen refused to stop laughing.
"You thought this was a brothel!"
He nearly doubled over, clutching his stomach.
"I can't believe it!"
Meng's face turned even redder.
"That servant said entertainment district!"
Chen Zifeng shook his head.
"This is a sports complex."
Lin Huang tossed the ball back toward the equipment rack.
"We should probably show them around before they destroy something."
Bingdi crossed her arms.
"Hmph."
"As if we would do something so childish."
Xu Tianzhen leaned closer to Tang Ya.
"She definitely would."
Tang Ya nodded seriously.
"Absolutely."
A few minutes later, the entire group began walking through the inner halls of the complex.
The building was massive.
Different corridors led toward different arenas.
Large signs hung from the ceiling showing directions.
FOOTBALL ARENA
HANDBALL COURT
TENNIS HALL
BOWLING AREA
Further down another hallway, the sound of splashing water echoed from a large aquatic facility.
Yuhao looked around with wide eyes.
"This place is huge…"
Lin Huang walked calmly at the front of the group.
"It was designed for the entire city."
Chen Zifeng nodded.
"Civilians in the outer sections."
"And cultivators here."
Ji Juechen glanced toward a training pool where several cultivators were swimming against a powerful current generated by a formation.
"…Physical training."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"Most cultivators neglect basic physical conditioning."
Xiao Hongchen stretched his arms.
"This place might actually be useful."
As they walked through the corridor, the boys gradually drifted slightly ahead of the others.
Their conversation turned casual again.
Chen Zifeng looked toward Lin Huang.
"You know…"
He folded his arms.
"You already have a harem."
Ji Juechen added calmly.
"You're basically a Dragon Knight."
Xiao Hongchen grinned.
"And probably a Swan Knight too."
Yuhao blinked.
"…What's a Swan Knight?"
Xiao Hongchen pointed discreetly behind them.
Toward Bi Ji.
Yuhao instantly understood.
His face turned bright red.
"Oh."
Chen Zifeng continued the teasing.
"With all that…"
"Did you really need to visit a brothel too?"
Lin Huang answered calmly.
"A brothel doesn't make sense."
He thought for a moment.
Then continued casually.
"But being the knight of a Snow Maiden…"
"Or a Scorpion Queen…"
"An Angel Knight sounds very appealing."
Xiao Hongchen burst out laughing.
Yuhao looked like he wanted to disappear.
But Lin Huang wasn't finished.
"If everything comes together…"
"Dragon Knight and Dragon Goddess."
He shrugged.
"That would be a dream."
The boys laughed.
None of them noticed the group behind them had gone completely silent.
Then Lin Huang added casually:
"If they're actually listening…"
He gestured vaguely behind him.
"The little angel might turn into a steam machine."
Behind them—
Ye Guyi froze.
Her face turned completely red.
"I—I—"
Steam might actually have been visible rising from her head.
Xu Tianzhen covered her mouth.
"He predicted it."
Tang Ya whispered:
"Steam machine confirmed."
Lin Huang continued calmly.
"And the scorpion would probably act tsundere again."
Bingdi instantly crossed her arms.
"Hmph!"
"Don't say stupid things!"
Xu Tianzhen leaned toward Tang Ya.
"That sounded very tsundere."
At that moment—
Wu Ming reacted like someone had just pulled a cat's tail.
"What did you say?!"
"There's no such thing as tsundere!"
Tang Ya laughed.
"Didn't Lin Huang call you that a few days ago?"
Xu Tianzhen nodded.
"When he was provoking you."
Wu Ming's face reddened slightly.
"That was completely different!"
Meanwhile, Xuedi had been quietly observing the conversation.
She tilted her head slightly.
"…Knight?"
Zi Ji leaned closer and explained softly.
A few seconds later, understanding appeared on Xuedi's face.
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
"…I see."
After a moment she added calmly:
"…That sounds interesting."
Zi Ji sighed quietly.
Gu Yuena simply watched Lin Huang's back.
A small smile formed on her lips.
"Dragon Knight and Dragon Goddess…"
She said softly.
"…when you become stronger."
Her tone was calm.
Confident.
As if it were merely a matter of time.
Nearby, Han Ruoruo leaned casually against a pillar.
Watching the entire scene unfold.
She shook her head with an amused smile.
"This group is truly chaotic."
Ahead of them, the boys were still talking.
Completely unaware of the storm they had just caused.
Xiao Hongchen was still laughing.
"Steam machine!"
Lin Huang shrugged calmly.
"I warned you."
Behind them, several faces were still red.
And the chaos had only just begun.
By the time the group finally left the Yuelan Central Sports Complex, the sun had already begun to sink toward the horizon.
What had started as a short visit had turned into several hours.
Basketball matches.
Swimming races.
A surprisingly competitive bowling round.
Even Ji Juechen had eventually joined one of the games, his precise movements quickly turning him into one of the most efficient players on the court.
Xiao Hongchen had loudly declared several rematches.
Yuhao had spent half the afternoon trying to understand the rules of multiple sports at once.
And somehow, despite the earlier misunderstanding, even several of the girls had eventually joined the activities.
Now the group slowly walked back toward the Lin Clan estate.
The evening air was cooler.
Lights were beginning to appear across the city.
Yuelan's streets were still lively, but the chaotic energy of the sports complex had been left behind.
Xiao Hongchen stretched his arms while walking.
"Next time I'm definitely winning."
Chen Zifeng glanced at him.
"You lost every match."
"That's because Lin Huang cheats."
Lin Huang didn't even look at him.
"I scored."
"That's cheating."
Yuhao walked beside them, still thinking.
"…I think I understand basketball now."
Chen Zifeng raised an eyebrow.
"You said that three times today."
Yuhao scratched his head awkwardly.
"I almost understand it."
Ji Juechen walked quietly with the group.
After a moment he spoke.
"…The concept is interesting."
Xiao Hongchen looked at him.
"You liked it?"
Ji Juechen nodded slightly.
"It forces timing and spatial awareness."
He paused.
"…Useful training."
Lin Huang nodded faintly.
"That was the idea."
Eventually the group returned to the Lin Clan estate.
Some of the girls headed toward the inner residences.
Others went to continue their cultivation routines.
Yuhao returned to the workshop area with several new ideas about physical training tools.
Xiao Hongchen wandered off still talking about rematches.
Chen Zifeng followed him with an amused expression.
Ji Juechen simply disappeared toward the weapon training grounds.
Only two figures moved toward a different location.
Lin Huang.
And Gu Yuena.
A quiet section of the estate contained a small formation hall connected directly to the Secret Realm core.
The room itself was simple.
Stone walls.
A circular formation carved into the floor.
At the center floated a projection of the internal structure of the Secret Realm.
Mountains.
Forests.
Energy flows.
Elemental zones.
All represented as shifting lines of light.
Lin Huang stepped inside and looked at the projection.
Gu Yuena stood beside him.
Her silver eyes calmly observing the moving energy patterns.
Lin Huang made a small gesture.
The projection changed.
Several columns of numbers appeared in the air.
Energy flow.
Formation maintenance.
Crystal consumption.
Realm expansion.
Gu Yuena glanced at the data.
"You're tracking the costs."
Lin Huang nodded.
"The Secret Realm isn't cheap."
Several numbers shifted as he adjusted the display.
A list of structures appeared.
Earth Vein Network
Elemental Stabilization Arrays
Spatial Expansion Anchors
Law Observation Formation
And several newly added entries.
Fire Vein
Ice Vein
Wind Vein
Lightning Vein
Earth Vein
Wood Vein
Vital Vein
Gu Yuena studied the list.
"You created artificial veins."
Lin Huang nodded.
"The realm learns from structure."
He gestured toward the projection.
"If it observes elemental circulation long enough, it can reproduce the pattern."
The projection zoomed slightly into the forest region of the realm.
Energy lines flowed through the ground like roots.
Gu Yuena crossed her arms slightly.
"The cost must be significant."
Lin Huang adjusted the projection again.
Another set of numbers appeared.
"Originally," he said calmly,
"each elemental vein required over Five million soul crystals."
Gu Yuena raised an eyebrow.
"That's expensive."
Lin Huang made several adjustments to the projection.
Formation lines shifted.
Energy flows recalculated.
"I refined the process."
The numbers changed.
"Two point five million per vein."
Gu Yuena looked back toward the projection.
"…Better."
The elemental nodes in the Secret Realm began glowing softly as the formation calculations stabilized.
Energy circulated between the veins.
Slowly.
Carefully.
The entire system was still young.
But it was beginning to resemble the natural structure of a true world.
Lin Huang studied the projection quietly.
Then made one final adjustment.
Several formation nodes aligned perfectly.
"Next step," he said calmly.
"Stabilization."
Gu Yuena's silver eyes focused slightly.
"The chamber."
Lin Huang nodded.
"The Law Cultivation Chamber."
Inside the Secret Realm…
something had begun to respond.
Inside the Secret Realm, energy moved like a living tide.
The world created within the realm was still young.
Mountains had only recently formed. Forests were still spreading across the land. Rivers had begun carving their paths through the terrain.
Yet even in its early stage, the realm already possessed something extremely rare.
Structure.
Artificial systems carefully constructed by Lin Huang had gradually given the world a stable foundation.
Earth veins.
Energy circulation networks.
Elemental zones.
All of them working together.
At the center of the formation hall, the projection floating above the array suddenly shifted.
Lines of energy began to move more rapidly across the display.
Gu Yuena noticed immediately.
"The veins are reacting."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"The system reached equilibrium."
Within the Secret Realm itself, the effect was far more dramatic.
Deep beneath the forest biome, the energy flowing through the newly created Wood Vein began to concentrate.
Roots of ancient trees extended deep underground.
Spiritual energy gathered around them.
The soil slowly crystallized.
Tiny green crystals began forming along the vein's structure.
Over time they would grow larger.
But even now, their presence was unmistakable.
Wood Crystal Veins.
Elsewhere within the realm, another reaction occurred.
Near the Vital Vein, the energy density was far higher.
The ground itself seemed to glow faintly with golden light.
Clusters of small golden crystals slowly began forming beneath the soil.
They pulsed gently with rich life energy.
Vital Crystal Veins.
Back in the formation hall, the projection updated again.
New entries appeared.
Natural Crystal Formation Detected
Wood Element — Stabilizing
Vital Element — Stabilizing
Gu Yuena watched the display with interest.
"The realm is reproducing the structure."
Lin Huang nodded.
"That was the goal."
He adjusted the projection slightly.
The display shifted toward the center of the realm.
There, a large formation structure hovered above a wide circular platform of stone.
Several massive formation rings surrounded the structure.
Energy from every elemental vein slowly converged toward this location.
For several seconds the energy streams fluctuated.
Unstable.
Chaotic.
Then suddenly—
The formation rings aligned.
The energy stabilized.
Inside the Secret Realm, the platform at the center of the formation began to glow with a faint silver light.
Spatial energy condensed.
Elemental fluctuations slowed.
The entire structure finally reached perfect balance.
Back in the hall, the projection updated once more.
Law Cultivation Chamber — Stabilized
Gu Yuena's silver eyes narrowed slightly.
"So it finally completed."
Lin Huang studied the formation data for a moment.
"Yes."
The chamber had been designed using the most important event in the realm's history.
The moment the Secret Realm itself had been born.
When the space first expanded, traces of natural law formation had appeared briefly within the realm.
Lin Huang had recorded that moment using formations.
Now those records had been transformed into something usable.
The Law Cultivation Chamber.
Inside the chamber, cultivators would be able to observe and study the patterns of natural law formation.
Not artificial simulations.
But echoes of the real process.
Gu Yuena watched the projection quietly.
"…You're accelerating the development of the world."
Lin Huang didn't deny it.
"The realm learns."
He pointed toward the newly formed crystal veins on the projection.
"Once it understands the pattern, it reproduces it."
The projection shifted again.
Across the Secret Realm, faint fluctuations appeared in other elemental zones.
Fire.
Lightning.
Wind.
Ice.
They had not yet formed crystal veins.
But the patterns had begun to appear.
Given enough time…
They would likely follow the same path.
At that moment, a small figure appeared on Lin Huang's shoulder.
Honghong had finally awakened.
She stretched lazily, her small tails flicking once.
Golden eyes glanced toward the projection.
"…So the world is learning."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
Honghong studied the growing crystal veins for a moment.
Then yawned.
"…Wake me when it becomes interesting."
Lin Huang ignored the comment.
His attention remained on the projection.
The Secret Realm had taken another step toward becoming something far greater than a simple training space.
It was slowly evolving.
Becoming a true world.
And this…
Was only the beginning.