The [Projection] ability offers two distinct evolutionary branches: **[Rapid Condensation]** and **[Texture Enhancement]**.
[Rapid Condensation] is clearly designed for high-pressure scenarios requiring quick switches between combat modes – ideal for adapting to sudden changes on the battlefield, where speed can mean the difference between life and death. By contrast, [Texture Enhancement] focuses entirely on improving the quality, durability, and inherent properties of all projected creations, potentially allowing them to match or even surpass the strength of naturally occurring rare materials. To Bai Hao's knowledge, no recorded extraordinary being had ever been able to actively choose the direction of their ability's evolution; such developments were always determined by a combination of talent, cultivation method, and sheer chance. Still, so many inexplicable things had already happened to him since awakening his powers – from forming dual contracts to discovering his Chaos Talent – that he decided not to dwell on the mechanics behind these choices. As the old saying went:
*Whether it's a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat.*
Having made up his mind, he sat cross-legged on his worn wooden floor and extended his right palm upward. A warm glow began to gather at his fingertips, and soon a stream of condensed spiritual energy gushed forth like liquid gold, shimmering with tiny flecks of light that danced in the air. Upon reaching the Early Spirit Realm just days prior, his projected creations had undergone a complete transformation – no longer mere illusions held together by psionic force, but solid, tangible objects with weight and substance.
Focusing his will, he visualized a standard military long sword. The golden energy twisted and solidified, the blade taking shape slowly as if forged from starlight itself. When fully formed, its cold steel surface gleamed with a light so sharp it seemed to cut through the air, sending faint ripples across the room. As his fingertips traced the sword's spine, he felt a hardness that far surpassed fine tungsten steel, with a smooth, crystalline texture unlike any precious metal alloy found on Earth. Even the edge held a keenness that made him instinctively pull his hand back before it could get too close.
The gains from breaking through to this realm were undeniable – his projections were now strong enough to withstand real combat without shattering instantly. But this enhanced "resilience" came at a significant cost: the better and harder the material he attempted to project, the more difficult and time-consuming the process became. Simple objects like wooden stools or ceramic bowls took mere seconds, but anything with structural complexity or high-density properties required intense concentration and steady psionic flow.
"Really..."
Bai Hao pursed his lips, a meaningful glint flashing in his dark eyes as he set the sword down on his rickety desk – the wood creaking slightly under its unexpected weight. *You get what you pay for.* It was a lesson he'd learned well in his short time in this world, where every advantage demanded sacrifice.
As he understood it, as cultivation levels rise and spiritual awareness expands, the quality of materials one can create will undoubtedly improve. However, this advancement cannot be achieved through imagination alone – one must first come into direct contact with the material, study its molecular structure, and deconstruct its inherent properties at a spiritual level before it can be accurately projected and visualized. At most, a practitioner can alter its appearance, adjust its shape, or rearrange its internal structure to optimize performance. Even with increased cultivation and refined techniques, creating high-quality materials still requires significant time investment, and projecting objects with complex mechanical structures – like firearms or precision tools – demands enormous amounts of psionic energy and unwavering mental focus.
Fortunately, with his Chaos Talent's [Endlessness] ability, psionic energy consumption was practically negligible. As a beginner-level Spirit Master, creating a basic metal alloy long sword had initially taken him about forty seconds; a small dagger could be condensed in ten seconds flat. However, these projections could not exist permanently at his current stage of cultivation – once his psionic connection was severed, they would gradually dissipate into shimmering dust as the energy sustaining them faded away.
If Projection were his only ability, Bai Hao might have struggled to choose between the two evolutionary paths. The allure of creating indestructible weapons or impenetrable armor was strong, especially for someone who had faced danger more than once since awakening his powers. But with multiple abilities at his disposal – including [Daylight] for long-range attacks and [Chaos] for defense and energy absorption – the advantages of quick, flexible reactions far outweighed the benefits of spending precious seconds crafting high-quality projections. In a real fight, being able to switch between weapons or create shields in an instant could save his life.
After selecting [Rapid Condensation] with a single thought, his consciousness sank deep into his soul, where the spiritual contracts with Yun Meng and Mu Wanqiu glowed like twin stars in the darkness. The marks resonated quietly, sending a wave of warm energy through his body that seemed to recalibrate every part of his projection process. Instantly, a strange sense of fluidity enveloped him – psionic energy flowed through his meridians like a rushing river after heavy rain, unobstructed and impossibly smooth.
He closed his eyes and visualized the metal alloy long sword once more. This time, the golden energy responded instantly, shaping itself with breathtaking speed. Where it had taken forty seconds before, the sword solidified in just ten seconds, letting out a sharp buzz that echoed through the small room! The dagger was even more impressive – with barely a flicker of thought, cold light flashed in his palm, and the perfectly formed weapon floated lightly above his skin, its edge catching the moonlight streaming through his window. Time was reduced by more than half, yet when he tested them, the sword's chill and the dagger's sharpness remained unchanged, with no loss of quality whatsoever!
"Finished!"
Excitement coursed through his limbs like electricity, making his hair stand on end and his heart race with exhilaration. Bai Hao nearly let out a roar of triumph, catching himself just in time to avoid waking his neighbors in the cramped building. Eager to test the limits of his enhanced ability, he proceeded to dismantle every metal pot and pan in his small kitchen, studying their compositions and mastering projection techniques for various common materials – from cast iron to aluminum alloy – in the process. Within an hour, he could summon any basic tool or weapon he could imagine in under five seconds.
"Unfortunately, there's no suitable place to test these properly."
Instinctively, he wanted to push his projections to their breaking point, to see how they would hold up against real targets or in combat scenarios… but as his gaze swept across his cramped five-to-six-square-meter room – cluttered with secondhand furniture, stacks of books, and peeling paint that flaked off the walls at the slightest touch – his enthusiasm quickly cooled.
Testing here? A single full-force swing of the sword might not only slice through the air, but also cut clean through his thin wooden door, shatter his only window, or destroy the rickety desk that doubled as his dining table and cultivation space. His meager possessions and already shabby home couldn't withstand even a single mistake. The bitter reality of his circumstances made him smile wryly, shaking his head as he dispelled the projections and returned the dismantled cookware to their proper places. He would have to suppress his desires for the time being and wait for a safer opportunity to truly test his powers.
Turning his attention to his other ability, Bai Hao focused inward once more, and the familiar warm glow of [Daylight] awakened in his chest, just below the sacred mark under his left collarbone. Like [Projection], it offered two distinct evolutionary branches: **[Radiant Light]** and **[Essence Gathering]**.
The system of information that flooded his mind described them clearly: [Radiant Light] spreads outward like wildfire, releasing waves of intense heat and blinding brightness that can cover vast areas to burn all enemies in its path – a devastating area-of-effect attack ideal for facing large groups of opponents. [Essence Gathering], by contrast, compresses light into incredibly dense, sharp forms – interwoven lines and points that move at the speed of light itself, unmatched in their piercing power and precision.
Without hesitation, Bai Hao chose [Essence Gathering]. He currently lacked advanced combat skills or martial arts training, having only started his cultivation journey a few weeks prior. His physical condition was only slightly stronger than an ordinary human's after his breakthrough to the Spirit Realm, making close combat extremely risky against any opponent with real training or enhanced strength. Mastering a powerful long-range attack technique would not only keep him out of harm's way but also greatly improve his chances of passing the martial arts portion of the college entrance exam, where ranged abilities were highly valued for their tactical versatility.
Still, he couldn't test the full effects of [Essence Gathering] in his small room – even a single condensed beam of light could punch through several walls and cause untold damage to the building and its occupants. After over twenty days of near-isolation for intensive cultivation and training, the world outside his window felt like a distant, almost foreign place. Curious to feel fresh air on his skin, he crossed the room and pulled open the creaking old window, its rusted hinges protesting loudly in the quiet night.
Cool moonlight poured into the room, mixing with the slightly fishy night breeze of the city – carrying hints of street food from nearby stalls, rain-soaked asphalt, and the distant smell of the river. The streets below were quiet, with only a few late-night pedestrians hurrying home and the occasional car passing by. The dimly lit city had mostly fallen asleep, wrapped in the peaceful stillness that only comes in the hours before dawn.
An indescribable surge of passion and courage rose in his chest, filling him with a sense of purpose he hadn't felt since arriving in this world. Looking at the silver moon hanging high in the sky, the gentle breeze playing with his hair, and the peaceful streets stretching out below, he felt as if he had lived two lifetimes – one as an ordinary person in a familiar world, and another as a Spirit Master in this extraordinary reality where powers beyond imagination were possible.
"I've arrived in a wonderful world," Bai Hao murmured to himself, his voice barely audible above the soft sounds of the night. He closed the window and moved to his bed, packing his pre-prepared exam materials – a few pens, a calculator, and a bottle of water – into his worn canvas backpack. Knowing he needed to be alert for the long day ahead, he lay back on his simple mattress, covered himself with a thin blanket, closed his eyes, and let himself drift into a short, restful sleep.
The alarm clock on his bedside table rang softly at five o'clock the next morning, its gentle chime cutting through the pre-dawn darkness. Bai Hao's eyes snapped open instantly – clear and sharp, with no trace of drowsiness or grogginess. After breaking through to the Spirit Realm, his energy levels and overall vitality had increased dramatically, allowing him to stay alert and focused for days at a time without needing long periods of rest. He swung his legs out of bed, washed his face with cold water from the tap, and pulled on his only clean set of clothes – dark trousers and a plain white shirt that still bore faint stains from his earlier experiments with projection.
The world's college entrance exams are a grueling ordeal that spans three days and two nights, designed to test both academic knowledge and practical combat ability in equal measure. The first day is dedicated entirely to written exams, with all required subjects completed in a single marathon session – running from 8 AM sharp to 10 PM at night, with only a two-hour break for lunch and rest in the middle of the day. For most students, this schedule is exhausting enough to push their physical and mental limits to the brink.
For Bai Hao, who had only been in this world for about a month, the written exam was practically like reading a foreign language in some sections. While the basic structure of subjects like Mandarin, Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Politics, History, and Geography was familiar – similar to what he had learned in his original world – many topics had been adapted to account for the existence of extraordinary powers, secret realms, and the unique history of this version of Earth. If not for these familiar foundations, he would have had no choice but to hand in a completely blank paper for every subject. In this world, extraordinary strength dominates almost every aspect of society – from military defense to economic development – and if the exam didn't balance academic assessments with martial arts trials, he wouldn't have needed to go through the entire process at all.
Candidates from the Suzhou and Hangzhou region were deliberately assigned to different exam locations to prevent cheating and ensure fairness, so Bai Hao didn't see any familiar faces when he arrived at the designated school that morning – a situation he welcomed, as it meant no one would ask questions about his sudden improvement or his unusual behavior. He found his seat in a large auditorium filled with hundreds of other students, sat down quietly, and waited for the exam to begin. When the papers were distributed, he did his best to answer what he could, though he knew his scores would be far from impressive.
Once the final subject was finished and the bell rang to signal the end of the day, Bai Hao followed the crowd out of the auditorium and took a taxi back to his rented room. The next day's martial arts exam was not a traditional arena competition with one-on-one matches; instead, it tested students' practical mastery of their extraordinary powers in real-world scenarios. To ensure that no one could prepare specifically for the environment, the assessment location was only announced after the first day's written exam concluded.
Bai Hao had handed in his paper half an hour early for every single subject – the earliest time permitted by strict exam regulations. Each time he stood up to leave, gathering his things and walking calmly past the rows of still-working students, he could feel countless envious eyes following him, as if he were a top-performing honor student who had found the test too easy to waste time on. After all, in the collective consciousness of most people, those who dare to submit their papers early in the college entrance exam are assumed to be the best of the best – confident in their knowledge and secure in their future. Even struggling students who know they will fail wouldn't walk away from something that determines their entire life path. No one could have suspected that the young man with the calm expression and steady gait had left most of his answer sheets completely blank.
Before he even stepped out of the school gate, his eyes fell on the large electronic bulletin board mounted on the wall at the entrance, its bright screen visible even in the growing darkness of the evening. Names scrolled quickly across the display, paired with each candidate's assigned martial arts exam location and the time they were to report there. He waited patiently as the list cycled through, his heart beating a little faster when he finally saw his name appear in bold letters:
**[Bai Hao – Candidate Number 3729: Ordinary Secret Realm – Weeping Abyss]**
This world contains numerous secret realms – mysterious independent spaces that exist parallel to Earth, connected by invisible portals that appear and disappear according to patterns no one has yet been able to fully predict. Each realm is filled with both danger and opportunity, home to unique plants, minerals, and creatures that cannot be found anywhere else on the planet. Normally, only Blue Star's extraordinary beings – those who have awakened their spiritual powers and reached at least the Early Spirit Realm – can enter and exit these realms freely, as ordinary humans would be overwhelmed by the intense psionic energy that fills them.
Occasionally, powerful monsters from these realms manage to break through the space barriers separating them from Earth, appearing suddenly in cities or wilderness areas to wreak havoc. Though such incidents are terrifying when they occur, they are relatively rare compared to how often humans venture into secret realms to explore uncharted territories and harvest valuable resources.
Strangely enough, no matter how much is taken from a secret realm – whether it's rare minerals, magical herbs, or even entire populations of creatures – it always resets to its original state after a fixed period of time, much like a dungeon in a video game that refreshes once players have left. This unique property makes secret realms both beloved and feared by humanity: loved for their endless supply of resources that drive technological and cultivation advancement, feared for the possibility of large-scale monster outbreaks that could devastate entire cities if not contained quickly.
To maintain security and prevent disasters, local governments across the world have established special management agencies for all secret realms within their jurisdictions, building fortified bases nearby and stationing trained teams to guard the portals round-the-clock. Thanks to this system, major incidents have been kept to a minimum thus far, with any emerging threats dealt with before they can spread beyond the realm's borders.
The reason behind this mysterious reset phenomenon has remained a puzzle to humanity for thousands of years, with countless theories proposed but none proven conclusively. Some believe that secret realms are living entities that heal themselves, while others suggest they are artificial constructs created by a highly advanced civilization that existed long before humans walked the Earth. Whatever the truth may be, the cycles of renewal continue unchanged.
Secret realm levels are classified from lowest to highest as follows: Normal, Elite, Monarch, Saint King, and Emperor. According to all available research and historical records, only Emperor-level realms stop respawning monsters and resources once they have been fully conquered by a sufficient force of extraordinary beings – and their resources do not regenerate either, no matter how much time passes. However, these highest-tier realms are vast beyond measure, with internal spaces comparable to an entire second Blue Star. Even with non-renewable resources, they contain more than enough valuable materials to sustain generations of extraordinary beings and support the development of entire nations.
Thus far, seven Emperor-level secret realms have been discovered on Earth. Three have been successfully conquered through coordinated efforts by multiple nations, their territories divided among the victors and now serving as critical resource hubs for the Alliance of Conquering Nations – a coalition formed to share the benefits and responsibilities of managing these powerful spaces. As for the remaining four Emperor-level realms that have been located but not yet conquered – it's not that Blue Star's nations lack the desire to claim them. Each of these four unclaimed realms has already claimed the lives of at least ten Spirit Emperor-level extraordinary beings, earning them fearsome titles like "Purgatory Realms" or "Emperor's Tombs."
Cultivating a Spirit Emperor-level being takes decades of dedicated training and an immense investment of resources. Only those with at least Saint-level innate talent have even a small chance of breaking through to this ultimate tier of power, and many who attempt it fail, their bodies and spirits destroyed by the overwhelming energy required to advance. As the core fighting force of every nation, even Xia Kingdom – which ranks second globally in population and has one of the most advanced cultivation systems in the world – has only about a dozen Spirit Emperors publicly known to exist, making it the country with the largest number of such experts on the planet. Most sparsely populated nations are so remote and underdeveloped that they struggle to produce even one Spirit Emperor-level being in a century, forcing them to rely on alliances with stronger countries for protection against threats from both Earth and the secret realms.