Chapter 78: Underground World

While walking, Menghongchen introduced the distribution of forces in the Underground World.

"So, what are we here for this time? If it were for a competition prize, it shouldn't be necessary, right?"

After all, Ming De Hall is a great family with vast enterprises; rare metals are certainly not lacking. If even Ming De Hall can't obtain them, these people are even less likely to find them.

Menghongchen giggled and said, "Ah, who said you must have a prize to enter a competition?"

"People are bored after all; they can only come here to look for something to do."

Hearing that, Bosabei's face instantly darkened.

Seeing Bosabei's expression, Menghongchen smiled coquettishly and added, "Alright, although grandpa gives me some rare metals every month, I will use them up too."

Moreover, even though grandpa is the head of Ming De Hall, he cannot allocate resources at will; after all, there are others to support.

It is said that not long ago, the Plain Alliance organized a Soul Guide Master competition, with the prize being a Dragon Rock Crystal.

"Dragon Rock Crystal?" Bosabei was stunned. That's a fine thing; you should know that Dragon Rock Crystals only appear in True Dragon nests and are produced only after absorbing dragon essence!

But now, in the eyes of continental Soul Masters, the True Dragon clan has long perished. Even top factions that know of Di Tian's existence dare not venture deep into the Star Dou Great Forest.

Bosabei had once asked Guyuenna about this, but Guyuenna said she had never seen it.

Di Tian, however, knows that Dragon Rock Crystals can no longer be produced.

The reason is simple: there are no lower‑level True Dragons left.

At his level, his own aura cannot be absorbed by those ores, let alone be used for production.

The more he thought about it, the more Bosabei felt something was off.

This is truly a rare treasure; even a Level‑9 Soul Guide Device can use it, and if Dragon Rock Crystal is added, the device will carry True Dragon aura.

It seemed she read Bosabei's thoughts, and Menghongchen smiled coquettishly, "I know, you must be wondering how such a treasure could be a trivial competition prize, right?"

In fact, taking the Dragon Rock Crystal comes with conditions; winning the championship doesn't automatically hand it to you.

The competition has a organizing committee elected by the Evening Water Alliance, the Plain Alliance, and the Ao Du Chamber of Commerce, each selecting three members; only if all nine committee members approve can the Dragon Rock Crystal be obtained.

If even one person disagrees, the prize will change accordingly.

"I see," Bosabei nodded, finding it more reasonable, though he still didn't know how to meet the requirements.

Even a high‑level Soul Guide Device would probably struggle to satisfy all nine.

While pondering, the two noticed lights flashing not far away.

Contrary to Bosabei's imagination, the Underground World was not dark and bloody.

It was instead very bright; pedestrians wore clean clothes and wore faint smiles at the corners of their mouths.

It was rather similar to Ming De Hall's underground base.

Soon, a middle‑aged man in a white robe with a smiling face approached, and upon seeing Menghongchen, said very respectfully, "Miss Meng, are you also here to join the competition?"

Menghongchen nodded and asked, "Has the competition started yet?"

The middle‑aged man shook his head and continued, "There are five minutes left; if Miss Meng wishes to join, there's still time."

"Alright, lead the way forward."

The middle‑aged man nodded while guiding Bosabei and the others to a Soul Guide Elevator inside the hotel lobby, then, holding a Soul Guide Communicator, said a few words before

The elevator continued descending, stopping after about ten seconds; when the doors opened again, a clamor of noise mixed with a whiff of decadent extravagance rushed in.

The elevator descended continuously; after about ten seconds it stopped, and when the doors opened, a noisy clamor mixed with a heady, opulent atmosphere rushed in.

A word instantly flashed in Bosabei's mind.

"Opulent and dizzy!" Everywhere was golden, even the mirrors, as if the Underground World were built entirely of gold.

After leading the four out of the elevator, the middle‑aged man first passed through a

then entered a large door straight ahead.

At the doorway, two guards, upon seeing the middle‑aged man, immediately opened the gate and invited them inside.

Entering the interior, it seemed they had stepped directly into another world; the lighting here was not like that outside

But the sheer size made Bosabei's eyes show surprise.

This is a circular domed hall, its ceiling seemingly drawn with countless orderly golden lines.

The massive dome provides ample light to the whole hall, rows of seats

At the end of each Soul Guide Spiral Stair hangs a circular room suspended in mid‑air, impossible to see with the naked eye how they float.

There are nine such floating rooms and Soul Guide Spiral Stairs in total, they subtly

And in the center of the hall is a circular platform, at this moment

Around the circular platform, some metal tables were also placed, totaling over a hundred, and some of those tables were now empty.

On the outer ring of sapphire‑blue velvet chairs, seats were filled with people, all quiet, watching intently the people bustling at the central metal tables.

A conservative estimate puts the number of spectators at over two thousand.

Their attire shows each person is either wealthy or noble.

Everyone waited silently, each with a look of eager anticipation.

"May I ask, how many participants are there in this competition?" Bosabei looked at the middle‑aged man beside him and asked,

"There are a total of 128; after the two of you enter, it will be 130," the middle‑aged man said respectfully,

With Menghongchen on one side, naturally no one with eyes would dare

"Miss Meng, I will go down first; the competition starts in two minutes, please wait a moment."

"Hmm." Menghongchen merely gave a cold nod; to outsiders she has never shown any friendly expression.

After the middle‑aged man left, Menghongchen slipped to Bosabei's side and whispered, "What Soul Guide Device will you craft later?"

Bosabei expressionlessly took Menghongchen's hand off his arm and said, "It's a secret."

"How boring." Menghongchen was unfazed, lying on the table and waiting quietly.

As a Level‑5 Soul Guide Master, she considered herself fully capable of easily winning the competition, but whether she could obtain the Dragon Rock Crystal…

【61】 She had no confidence in her heart.

【62】 This treasure naturally makes many people envious, but they dare not act; take Jinghongchen as an example—if he discovered the Dragon Rock Crystal, he would certainly seize it by any means.

But this time it won't work, because the three major powers of the underground world all have backgrounds.

Take the Sunset Water Alliance, for example; it is said that the power behind it is precisely the most mysterious power of the Sun-Moon Empire—the Holy Spirit Cult!

(End of chapter)