Chapter 816: The World

The buildings at Ye Er Base resemble a square with a courtyard in the center, surrounded on all sides by structures.

Under the guidance of staff, Xu Jingming walked through a corridor roughly thirty meters long.

Suddenly, the space opened up before him, revealing a flat area about the size of a soccer field.

It was still midnight, pitch black outside, yet the entire area was lit as bright as day by high-intensity floodlights.

At the very center of this open space, one could clearly sense an unstable region of space.

It looked like fragile glass, ready to shatter at any moment.

"That must be the entrance to the Ye Er Secret Realm—though it's still unopened."

Xu Jingming glanced at the center of the open area, then scanned the surroundings.

Aside from Great Xia, four other nations' teams had already arrived.

They were the United States, the European Union, and Heizhou; after a few more minutes, all six of Blue Star's major powers had arrived.

"Ryan from the United States, Peter from the EU..."

Several days ago, Xue Jian had already sent over the map of the Ye Er Secret Realm.

Along with it came a table listing the names of all other nations' members entering the secret realm.

Among them, the strongest and most threatening cultivators had been specially marked.

Xu Jingming's gaze swept across these teams, matching each name to its bearer.

Though all were Blue Star's six major powers, the gaps between them were now unmistakable.

Great Xia, the United States, and Xiong Nation each had an S-class cultivator at the upper eighth-rank.

The others—the EU, Heizhou, and Yindu—had at most an S-class at mid-eighth-rank, or an A-class at peak eighth-rank.

"The six major powers of Blue Star are divided into the top three and the bottom three."

Xu Jingming smiled.

He could easily defeat an A-class at peak eighth-rank, but he couldn't beat an S-class at upper eighth-rank.

That meant his real opponents were only the upper eighth-rank S-class cultivators from the United States and Xiong Nation.

"And that's only temporary—if I gather enough ability points inside the secret realm and break through to eighth-rank, no one will be my match."

Due to the intelligence available, in others' eyes,

Xu Jingming's combat power was thought to be no higher than mid-eighth-rank, so they paid him little mind.

Only after entering the secret realm would Xu Jingming truly reveal his fangs.

His gaze shifted to the other side of the open area.

There stood nearly a hundred people clad in combat suits, fully armed.

Blue Star had many nations—109 in total.

Aside from the six major powers, there were 103 other nations.

These nearly a hundred people came from those 103 nations.

Of course,

any rare herbs and exotic plants they collected inside the secret realm did not belong to them—they had to surrender 95% to the six major powers.

Only the remaining 5% could be taken back to their own countries.

They were like miners, earning only a basic wage, while their bosses above them reaped the greatest profits.

This was also the overwhelming dominance the six major powers held over other nations.

No one felt it was unfair—it was simply a world of survival of the fittest.

Had the United Nations not been formed and banned wars between nations,

these 103 nations would have long since been swallowed up.

Even now, the situation hadn't improved much—most nations had become vassals of Blue Star's six major powers.

Yet despite this, these nations still sent their ability users to participate, all for that 5% of rare herbs and exotic plants.

But their ranks were wildly uneven; over half were merely seventh-rank Grand Masters.

"On the international stage, eighth-rank Grand Masters are the main force; seventh-rank Grand Masters are merely cannon fodder."

Xu Jingming shook his head.

It was foreseeable that many of these dozens of seventh-rank Grand Masters would perish inside the Ye Er Secret Realm...

While Xu Jingming and his team observed the others, the teams of other nations were also observing Great Xia's team.

When they discovered that the team leader was Xue Jian, a ninth-rank ability user, many frowned.

This man's reputation was forged in blood—he had killed over ten ninth-rank ability users.

Besides Xue Jian, Chen Yang and Xu Jingming in Great Xia's team were also under close scrutiny.

Most surprising of all was Xu Jingming.

No one expected Great Xia would actually let this year's top genius of Blue Star join the scramble for the secret realm's herbs.

"With Xu Jingming here, it makes sense that Great Xia sent Xue Jian."

Cain, the chief high priest of the United States, thought silently.

"Ryan, Ling Shuang, Xu Jingming... nearly a quarter of Blue Star's core strength is gathered here!"

Tian Jian, hidden among the other nations' teams of over a hundred, felt a surge of excitement on his face.

If he could kill all these people, it would deliver a crushing blow to all Blue Star nations.

"Xu Jingming... you came too..."

In Heizhou's team, a muscular man with jet-black skin, faint black lightning flickering across his body, stared fixedly at Xu Jingming, his eyes burning with greedy hunger.

Facing all these stares, Xu Jingming—who had endured the National University League and the Global Talent Exchange Competition—remained utterly calm, expression unchanged.

Yet, whether it was his imagination or not, he felt certain female Grand Masters from Heizhou were casting glances at him with unmistakable hunger.

It sent a chill down his spine.

He could accept women from the East or the West, but women from Heizhou with their jet-black skin stirred not the slightest interest in him.

"These stares are truly annoying."

Standing gracefully beside Xu Jingming, Ling Shuang's pale, oval face twisted with distaste.

She sensed several unhidden, burning gazes—especially from Yindu and Heizhou.

"What's wrong with these two nations' teams? They're eighth-rank Grand Masters—how can they seem so desperate?"

Xu Jingming frowned, stepped forward, and positioned himself between Ling Shuang and the onlookers, blocking all stares.

"Though Yindu and Heizhou are among Blue Star's six major powers, their level of civilization is far behind ours.

In their lands, ability users hold far greater power than here.

In their societies, high-rank ability users rule absolutely.

Whether man or woman, anyone below their rank is considered a slave.

Perhaps to them, we're nothing but captives to be taken."

Ling Shuang replied coldly, her disdain for Yindu and Heizhou's ability users unmistakable.

"It's a miracle these two nations are even major powers."

Xu Jingming murmured.

In truth, it was only because both possessed Supreme Strongers.

As long as a Supreme Stronger existed, even if their nation had only one person left, they still counted as a Blue Star major power.

Just as Xu Jingming was reflecting on this, the space at the center of the open area suddenly emitted a soft "hum."

The previously calm space surged violently like a tidal wave!!

Forming a vortex of space ten meters high and over five meters wide!

"The secret realm has opened."

Xu Jingming's gaze sharpened, his bloodline surging, golden lightning flickering faintly across his body.

"The Ye Er Secret Realm is now open! All of Great Xia, enter the realm!"

Xue Jian gave the order, and every Great Xia cultivator, including Xu Jingming, charged into the spatial vortex.

Simultaneously, the teams from the United States, the EU, Heizhou, and others surged forward as well.

Within mere seconds, the vast open area was left with only the seven ninth-rank ability users.

In addition, teams from the United States, the European Union, Heizhou, and other nations also charged in.

Only a few seconds later, the vast open ground was left with only these seven ninth-rank psychics.