15: Origin of the Beast

In the Pass Lord's manor in Yuncheng Pass, Bi Qing, Xun Xiuyuan, and Bai Xiaoou were seated, with no one else present.

Bi Qing stared at Xun Xiuyuan, feeling that something was off, and scanned him with his faint spiritual sense.

The person was still the same, yet he also felt like he wasn't the same person.

He stopped thinking about it; there must be some difference between a beast and a human.

"The Ningshen Mystic Realm Management Committee has sent a message that the energy at the Ningshen Mystic Realm entrance is fluctuating, and it should open within three days."

Xun Xiuyuan already knew, just as Lu Wenyuan had told him.

"What does the Lu Family of the Abyss mean?"

"How did you know about the Lu Family of the Abyss?"

"Pass Lord Lu told me."

Bi Qing thought for a while, then looked at the curious duo in front of him and smiled.

He slowly began to speak, as these things would eventually have to be known by the children.

Hundreds of years ago, according to the exploration of human powerful experts, the spatial cracks in the Abyss led to an Alien Beast Continent, a true Alien Beast Continent.

The Alien Beast Continent collided with our World, like two eggs hitting each other.

The point of contact was in the Abyss, where a common battlefield for both Worlds appeared, and both humans and alien beasts were vying for control there.

As for the alien beasts that appeared in our World, it was due to the collision of the Worlds, which created some spatial cracks and leaked spiritual energy.

The spiritual energy caused the original wild beasts to mutate, and thus alien beasts were born. Legend has it that the alien beasts on the continent are no match for those in the Abyss.

Perhaps due to the concentration of spiritual energy, or perhaps due to ningshen crystals, the highest-level alien beasts that have appeared on the continent are only eighth-rank; at least, no ninth-rank alien beasts have been discovered so far.

Due to the endless mutated wild beasts in the periphery, and the source being in the Abyss, the human race's main efforts have been focused on the Abyss.

Although spiritual energy caused wild beasts to mutate, its appearance also created the current martial artist system, allowing humanity to gradually develop and grow stronger.

The spiritual energy in the Abyss is the most concentrated, and naturally, the alien beasts there are even more powerful, to the point of being irresistible at times.

Finally, the ten most powerful human families at that time chose to guard the Abyss, continuing to this day, for hundreds of years now.

"Can't technological weapons be used?" Xun Xiuyuan asked a question that had puzzled him for a long time; technological weapons in his previous life were very formidable.

"They can, but after being infused with spiritual energy, the attributes of our World changed, and the power of previously strong technological weapons became weaker and weaker. After reaching the Innate Realm, one basically no longer fears technological weapons."

"The Lu Family that Lu Wenyuan mentioned is one of the ten great families of the Abyss. I can't speak for the current Lu Family, but hundreds of years ago, they were all great benefactors of the human race."

Finally, Xun Xiuyuan gained an initial understanding of this World; his previous perceptions were all one-sided.

"Alright, we've strayed too far. Let's continue talking about the Ningshen Mystic Realm. How did this mystic realm come to be? Who created it? We still don't know about these things. Its discovery was merely accidental. After humans discovered it, they protected it and specifically established the Ningshen Mystic Realm Management Committee."

"Is it because of the ningshen crystals?" Xun Xiuyuan asked.

"The reason for protecting it is that each time the Ningshen Mystic Realm opens, only 100 units can enter, including alien beasts. If it weren't protected and were exposed, alien beasts might enter, leaving no slots for the human race."

"Of course, it's also because of the importance of ningshen crystals. An ordinary seventh-rank Martial King, without special opportunities, needs nearly 100 ningshen crystals to have a chance of advancing to eighth-rank Innate."

"Then when do I depart?" Xun Xiuyuan saw that Bi Qing had no intention of speaking further and directly inquired.

"Not you, but both of you."

Xun Xiuyuan glanced at Bai Xiaoou beside him: "Then when do we depart?"

"No rush, I'll take you there tomorrow morning."

"What's the situation inside the Ningshen Mystic Realm?" Xun Xiuyuan asked because he didn't know, which was perfectly normal.

"The Ningshen Mystic Realm Management Committee will inform you after you go tomorrow. I don't know the specifics myself; I didn't enter back then."

After he finished speaking, Xun Xiuyuan and Bai Xiaoou each returned home.

Early the next morning, Bi Qing took Xun Xiuyuan and Bai Xiaoou to the Ningshen Mystic Realm.

The Ningshen Mystic Realm is located within the Pass, directly north of the entire circle, relatively close to the North City Pass.

Little Qing flew for about two hours before reaching its destination.

Standing on Little Qing's back, he looked down to see a massive factory-like building, resembling a giant turtle resting in a valley between two mountain peaks.

"Are there no alien beasts on these mountain ranges?"

"Of course there are, but the alien beasts within the Pass have mostly been cleared out, leaving only some young ones. After all, young beasts can be tamed, and keeping them is also a resource."

Bi Qing led the two down, while Little Qing flew into the sky alone to forage.

Then Bi Qing walked to the main gate to register, and then led the two into the factory building.

The interior of the factory building was very spacious, with a huge stone platform in the center. On the stone platform was a glass room, which was empty inside.

At this moment, an old man came over: "Little Bi! Only two people this year?"

Bi Qing immediately replied respectfully: "Yes, Elder Yang!"

The old man named Yang nodded: "Some personnel from other City Passes have already arrived and gone to the lounge to rest. You go back first; I'll take these two youngsters."

"Then I'll trouble Elder Yang."

After Bi Qing finished speaking, he greeted the two: "I'll come pick you up in a few days. Good luck!"

With that, he headed out of the factory building.

Elder Yang then sized up the two, and then stared intently at Xun Xiuyuan: "What's your name?"

"Elder Yang, my name is Xun Xiuyuan."

"You! What rank?" Xun Xiuyuan gave him a very strange feeling, and what was even stranger was that he couldn't discern his specific martial arts realm.

Normally, the outward manifestation of each realm for advancing martial artists is very obvious; one can generally tell if it's fifth-rank or sixth-rank.

"Sixth-rank." Xun Xiuyuan didn't say seventh-rank. It's not his fault you couldn't tell; he wasn't hiding anything.

"Oh? The City Pass also has a sixth-rank contestant this year? Not bad, not bad, good luck!"

After saying that, he no longer paid attention and led the two to the resting area, arranging their resting place.

Looking at the two beds in the room, Bai Xiaoou blushed and said nothing, just feeling a bit awkward.

"I'm going for a walk!" she said, then ran out of the room.

Xun Xiuyuan nodded indifferently, lay on the bed to rest, and unconsciously fell asleep.

Suddenly, a sound of something falling outside the door startled Xun Xiuyuan awake.

Immediately, voices came from outside the door again.

"Heh! Third-rank Master Realm! Going in to just make up the numbers? I don't know why 100 slots still give half to your City Passes. If all of them were given to us, we would definitely get a lot more ningshen crystals every year."

A arrogant voice rang out.

"Exactly, their strength isn't much, but they eat a lot. Are all these provisions meant to be taken back to the City Pass? Even if the Mystic Realm Management Committee's food is free, you don't need to be like this, right? Hahaha!"

Another voice rang out, even more arrogant.

"How about this, you soiled my clothes with food, and I guess you can't afford to compensate. If not, come back to the Abyss with me and be a maid."

The initial arrogant voice said lewdly.

Lying on the bed, Xun Xiuyuan heard the voices outside. He originally didn't want to meddle, and was about to pretend he hadn't heard anything, when Bai Xiaoou's weak voice came from outside.

"I was taking food to my companion; he's asleep and hasn't eaten yet. You deliberately knocked my food down and then blamed me!"