"Excellent!" Lord Hafa nodded with satisfaction, his broad face creasing into an approving smile.
"We'll depart once my teacher arrives. The journey will take approximately two weeks, so use this time to rest and prepare yourself. If you need anything during your stay, simply ask Adra for assistance."
"Thank you, Lord Hafa," Han Jue said respectfully, bowing his head in gratitude.
After Lord Hafa departed from the chamber, Adra couldn't help but voice her concerns aloud.
"Young man, the Divine Kingdom is extremely dangerous," she said seriously, her bald head catching the ambient light as she leaned forward. "Even World Masters risk falling within its confines. You should understand what you're agreeing to..."
"Senior Adra, there's no need to persuade me further." Han Jue met her gaze calmly, his silver-white hair framing features filled with quiet confidence. "This is my own choice. I believe it's the right decision, and I have faith in my abilities."
"Good lad!" Adra exhaled sharply, clearly impressed despite her reservations.
Such confidence meant either genuine strength or foolish arrogance. Han Jue didn't strike her as the latter type, his combat recordings spoke volumes about his capabilities and tactical intelligence.
Adra shook her head slightly and abandoned further attempts at dissuasion. With Lord Cangyuan personally overseeing the operation, there was little reason for excessive worry anyway.
She escorted Han Jue to a comfortable residential facility located just outside the Dry Sea Secret Realm's dimensional boundaries, then departed to attend to her own responsibilities.
"Master, the Divine Kingdom has managed to persist for over a million epochs," Rimuru observed once they were alone. "There might be spatial treasures or dimensional artifacts maintaining its existence, items of considerable value."
"I had the same thought," Han Jue agreed with a slight nod.
"Entering the Divine Kingdom could yield truly valuable discoveries," Rimuru continued, his holographic form pacing thoughtfully through the air. "The wealth left by the Lord of the Ice Wasteland may seem substantial now, but once you join the Virtual Universe Company as a core member, it might prove insufficient for your advancement needs."
"This is a rare opportunity," Han Jue acknowledged. "Which is precisely why I need to maximize my preparation time."
He settled into meditation position, his consciousness already beginning its familiar journey inward. "I'll try to break through to the second level of 'Myriad Avatars' before we enter the Divine Kingdom. That additional combat versatility will significantly improve my survival odds."
His awareness split between two simultaneous cultivation efforts, his consciousness entered the virtual universe to practice the 'Myriad Avatars' technique while his physical body continued comprehending the fundamental laws of space. The dual-track cultivation approach pushed his mental capabilities to their limits, but Han Jue had grown accustomed to such multitasking through years of rigorous training.
Fifteen days passed in concentrated focus.
According to Earth's calendar, the date would read August 21st, 2058, though such measurements felt increasingly irrelevant as Han Jue's consciousness expanded beyond planetary concerns.
"Second level of 'Myriad Avatars'... complete!"
Han Jue's eyes snapped open as ten perfect duplicates materialized around him, each one indistinguishable from the original. He examined them with satisfaction, noting the seamless coordination between all instances of his consciousness.
Since beginning his comprehension of the fundamental laws of space just over six months ago, Han Jue had pushed his cultivation to remarkable heights. Reaching ten simultaneous avatars represented a monumental achievement, far more difficult than mastering the Nine-Line Flow level of the "Myriad Threads" technique that most practitioners favored.
In the original timeline, even Luo Feng had only achieved this level during the later stages of the Genius Battle, after extensive training and multiple life-or-death encounters.
Of course, this still fell short of Bolan's legendary near-thousand phantom bodies demonstrated during that same competition. But Han Jue felt confident he could close that gap over the coming years. Bolan's advantage came from specialized focus and unique opportunities, advantages Han Jue intended to cultivate for himself through strategic planning and relentless effort.
"Congratulations, Master!" Rimuru offered enthusiastically, his holographic form practically glowing with shared satisfaction.
Han Jue smiled faintly and shook his head, dismissing the praise as premature celebration. He exited the virtual universe and rose from his meditation, stretching muscles that had remained motionless for days.
Today, Lord Cangyuan would arrive at the Dry Sea Secret Realm to open the passage into the Divine Kingdom. Han Jue's anticipation had been building throughout his preparation period, this represented exactly the sort of opportunity he'd sought when leaving Earth behind.
Stepping outside his temporary quarters, he found Adra already waiting in the common area.
"This time, several Universe-level geniuses from the First Universe Bank will accompany you in exploring the Divine Kingdom," she explained without preamble. "Whatever treasures or resources you discover, you're free to keep for yourself or sell them to us at competitive market rates. We'll ensure fair pricing."
"Naturally," Han Jue responded with an easy smile.
"Come on, I'll introduce you to your companions," Adra said, standing and gesturing toward an adjacent corridor. "You might encounter them again in future competitions or collaborations."
Han Jue followed closely behind as they navigated through the facility's clean, well-lit passages. Soon they arrived at a spacious reception hall where four individuals sat waiting in relaxed positions.
Two men and two women, all radiating the distinctive aura of cultivators who'd crossed the threshold of law recognition. Their casual postures couldn't disguise the lethal competence each possessed, these were clearly elite talents groomed by the First Universe Bank's internal cultivation programs.
"I'll leave you to get acquainted," Adra said simply. "I need to find Lord Hafa and make final preparations."
She departed without further ceremony, leaving Han Jue alone with the four strangers who would serve as his companions in the dangerous journey ahead.
"Hello there! My name is Bai Zhou, and I specialize in the Origin Law of Wind." A young man in elegant white robes rose smoothly from his seat, his eyes narrowed in a perpetual expression that suggested either amusement or calculation. He extended his hand in greeting with practiced social grace.
"Qian Yu. I specialize in the Origin Law of Light." The speaker was a cold-faced young woman whose white hair matched Han Jue's own silver-white coloring, though her light gray complexion and strange golden markings covering her cheeks and forehead marked her as distinctly non-human. She nodded curtly but made no move to stand.
"I'm Mijiti! I specialize in the Origin Law of Fire!" This enthusiastic declaration came from a girl with vibrant, flame-red hair cascading past her shoulders. She leaned forward in her seat, studying Han Jue with undisguised curiosity and barely contained energy.
"Just call me Diman. I specialize in the Origin Law of Earth." The final introduction came from an imposingly tall man whose massive frame resembled a living mountain. His skin possessed the rough texture of natural stone, and each movement suggested tremendous physical power held carefully in check.
"Han Jue. I specialize in the Origin Law of Water," Han Jue replied, stepping forward to clasp Bai Zhou's extended hand in a firm greeting.
All four companions had reached the ninth level of Universe rank, respectable cultivation by any standard, though not particularly unusual for geniuses selected by the First Universe Bank.
What mattered more than their cultivation levels was their true combat strength. Each one likely possessed techniques, comprehension, and battle experience that elevated their capabilities to rival some Domain Masters, perhaps even exceeding weaker specimens of that cultivation tier.
Han Jue also noticed subtle dynamics within the group's social structure. The four seemed to instinctively defer to Bai Zhou's leadership, their body language and attention naturally orienting toward him during group interactions. Either Bai Zhou possessed overwhelming personal strength that commanded such respect, or his background and connections ran deep enough to impress even these talented cultivators.
"Han Jue, it's quite rare for someone at Stellar level to receive Lord Hafa's personal recognition and recommendation," Bai Zhou observed with his characteristic narrow-eyed smile, settling back into his seat with fluid grace. "You must be quite exceptional."
"Just fortunate circumstances," Han Jue replied diplomatically, maintaining his modest demeanor.
"Strength isn't merely about fortune." Bai Zhou gave Han Jue a penetrating look that suggested he saw past the humble facade, but chose not to press the issue. Instead, he shifted topics smoothly.
"A preliminary exploration team has already surveyed the accessible regions of the Divine Kingdom. According to their intelligence reports, the Lord of the Dry Sea's domain hosts numerous aquatic beasts, most of them Universe-level or higher, with quite a few Domain Masters among the population. We can't rule out encountering World Master-level creatures as well."
He paused deliberately before continuing. "You're currently only at Stellar level. Dealing with Universe-level beasts shouldn't pose problems for someone of your abilities, correct?"
The question carried obvious implications. Bai Zhou had clearly deduced that if Lord Hafa valued Han Jue enough to offer this opportunity, the young cultivator must possess combat strength far exceeding his apparent cultivation level.
"No problem whatsoever," Han Jue confirmed with quiet confidence.
"Excellent. After Lord Cangyuan opens the passage, it will remain stable for approximately one month," Bai Zhou explained, his tone shifting to something more businesslike. "Regardless of whether we discover anything valuable, all participants must exit the Divine Kingdom through that passage within the time limit. Otherwise, we risk being trapped in the spatial layers when the connection collapses."
His expression grew more serious. "If that happens, not even Lord Cangyuan could rescue you. The energies involved in dimensional collapse are absolute."
"I understand," Han Jue acknowledged, filing away the critical timeline information.
"We'll enter as the second exploration group. I'll serve as leader for this operation," Bai Zhou continued, establishing clear command structure. "Our primary objective is gaining valuable experience and ensuring everyone's survival. Finding the Lord of the Dry Sea's inheritance is secondary to keeping all team members alive."
He hesitated momentarily, as if weighing different team composition options in his mind. "Qian Yu and I will form one unit. Diman and Mijiti, you two can work together and keep an eye on Han Jue."
"Understood," Diman rumbled in his deep, gravelly voice.
Han Jue was about to voice his thoughts on the arrangement when Mijiti suddenly interrupted with visible agitation.
"Why that configuration?" The fiery-haired girl's eyes widened with obvious dissatisfaction, her tone edging toward confrontational. "I should be, "
Bai Zhou simply glanced at her without saying a word. That single look carried such weight that Mijiti visibly shuddered, her protest dying on her lips.
"Okay... no problem," she muttered, biting her lower lip in frustration but clearly unwilling to challenge Bai Zhou's authority further.
Han Jue watched this exchange with calm observation, his expression neutral but his mind actively analyzing the undercurrents. His suspicions about this group's dynamics solidified into near-certainty.
There's definitely something unusual about these people and their relationships. The power structure here runs deeper than simple team coordination.
Before he could contemplate further, approaching footsteps announced new arrivals.
Lord Hafa and Adra entered the hall together, their presence immediately drawing everyone's attention.
"It appears you're all prepared," Lord Hafa announced with obvious satisfaction. "Let's proceed to the Dry Sea Secret Realm immediately. My teacher has already begun the dimensional bridging process."
He waved his hand casually, and reality itself seemed to bend around his gesture. Spatial energy enveloped all five young cultivators simultaneously, lifting them from the floor without physical contact.
Han Jue's vision blurred and distorted as the world transformed around him. In the span between one heartbeat and the next, they materialized within the Dry Sea Secret Realm itself, standing on the impossibly suspended ocean's surface as if it were solid ground.
"Teacher," Lord Hafa said respectfully, bowing deeply to a figure standing some distance away on the water.
Lord Cangyuan?
Han Jue looked up, trying to focus on the Immortal being, but found he could perceive only a blurred silhouette, a vague outline of a back turned toward them. His enhanced vision, normally capable of discerning minute details across vast distances, simply couldn't penetrate whatever aura surrounded the titled Immortal.
He couldn't observe Lord Cangyuan's movements clearly either. Han Jue could only watch as the figure's outline disappeared from its position on the sea surface, then reappeared elsewhere in discontinuous spatial jumps. The surrounding space twisted and fractured continuously, reality breaking apart like shattered glass before reassembling in new configurations.
With his six-eyes technique fully active, Han Jue could barely perceive what was happening. The space comprising the Dry Sea Secret Realm appeared to be systematically dismantled by Lord Cangyuan through some incomprehensible method, perhaps using a specialized artifact or technique beyond Han Jue's current understanding. Layer by layer, the dimensional boundaries were being peeled away like an onion, exposing what lay hidden in the spatial interstices between normal reality and the void.
The Divine Kingdom of the Lord of the Dry Sea, preserved impossibly across more than a million epochs.
"Enter," Lord Hafa commanded simply.
He raised his hand in a gesture of controlled power, and gentle force lifted all five young cultivators from the ocean's surface. They floated through the air toward the newly exposed dimensional gateway, carried by Lord Hafa's precise manipulation of spatial energy.
The entrance to the Divine Kingdom yawned before them like a wound in reality itself, a shimmering portal that promised both danger and opportunity in equal measure.
Han Jue took a final deep breath of the Dry Sea Secret Realm's air, centering himself mentally and spiritually for whatever challenges awaited within.
Then the portal swallowed them whole, and the real test began.