Chapter 505

Chapter 505: Small Worlds

West Sea, Changhe Island.

Changhe Island is the second largest island in the West Sea. The island is long and narrow, with a great river originating from the mountains, flowing a thousand miles from north to south.

This is how Changhe Island got its name.

As the saying goes, "A small boat drifts with the wind, and the thousand-mile river flows into the sea."

This large island is also one of the nine veins of the West Sea Sect, the location of the Changhe lineage’s Heavenly Merit!

At the highest peak of Changhe Island, on Boat Leaf Peak, Wang Chen once again met with the vein master, Changhe Zhenren.

“Disciple Wang Chen, pays respects to the esteemed Zhenren!”

Wang Chen respectfully performed a deep bow to Changhe Zhenren, who sat majestically on the cloud platform.

Today, this esteemed Zhenren wore a white robe, with no accessories adorning his body. His long hair fell to his shoulders, and he appeared relaxed, surrounded by rolling clouds and mist, with lush pine and cypress trees giving him an aura of a celestial being.

“No need for too much formality.”

Changhe Zhenren lightly raised his hand, and a wisp of cloud was drawn away from around the platform, instantly forming a chair beside Wang Chen: “Sit down.”

“Thank you for the seat, Zhenren!”

Wang Chen got up and sat on the cloud chair.

To be honest, when he received the order from this Zhenren, he felt quite puzzled, not understanding why the vein master wanted to summon him.

However, Wang Chen remained calm, believing he would soon find out the reason.

“The reason I summoned you is that I have two matters to discuss with you.”

Changhe Zhenren’s voice was calm and soothing, carrying a reassuring and steady power.

Yet the first matter he mentioned left Wang Chen shocked.

“Wang Chen, do you wish to join my Changhe lineage?”

Wang Chen’s mind raced, and he immediately bowed down: “It is an honor for this disciple!”

A light smile appeared on Changhe Zhenren’s face: “I haven’t finished speaking. If you agree, then the sect’s reward will no longer be available to you.”

Wang Chen replied without hesitation: “This disciple willingly accepts!”

In essence, it was exchanging the reward he was entitled to for the qualification to enter the veins.

How could he refuse such a good deal?

After all, in the West Sea Sect, meridian disciples are the true elites within the sect, enjoying benefits that entry disciples cannot compare to.

To learn the West Sea Sect’s high-level techniques and authentic teachings, one must have the identity of a meridian disciple.

The authority of a meridian disciple is also higher than that of an entry disciple.

In short, Wang Chen could not miss this opportunity!

Changhe Zhenren raised his hand again: “Don’t be anxious. You should know that your achievements are not yet sufficient to exchange for the qualification to enter the veins. Now I will tell you the second matter.”

Wang Chen found himself at a loss for words.

Changhe Zhenren smiled faintly: "Do you know about small worlds?"

Wang Chen was momentarily stunned: "This disciple has some knowledge of them."

He had long known that the world he inhabited was not the only one.

Beyond the Mountain-Sea Realm, there existed numerous different worlds!

If categorized by level, they could roughly be divided into small worlds, large worlds, and the celestial realm.

The Mountain-Sea Realm belongs to the large worlds!

Wang Chen had once read in a tome that most small worlds are dependent on large worlds, and large worlds are the lower realms of the celestial realm.

When a cultivator’s cultivation level reaches the limit of their world, ascending to a higher realm becomes the only option.

Of course, besides ascending, there are other ways to reach the higher realms.

Wang Chen had gone through great lengths to join the West Sea Sect to find a Path to Heaven!

The higher his status within the West Sea Sect, the greater the possibility of achieving his goal. Therefore, obtaining the status of a Meridian Disciple was of unwavering resolve to him.

As for small worlds, Wang Chen’s understanding was indeed limited.

He only knew that small worlds were equivalent to domains, varying in size and with environments that could be vastly different.

Some small worlds had no life at all, while others were inhabited but extremely perilous.

What Changhe Zhenren shared with Wang Chen, however, were secrets he had never heard before.

According to this higher-level Golden Core true master, the West Sea Sect occupies a total of thirty-seven small worlds, but currently, only eleven have been developed.

That is still less than half.

Developing small worlds is a very arduous and hazardous task because the small worlds worth developing often present significant obstacles and risks, requiring long-term, continuous investment.

This process could take hundreds of years!

Most importantly, small worlds place great limitations on a cultivator’s realm, with the maximum being no more than Golden Core level.

Some small worlds cannot even accommodate a Purple Palace!

To develop such small worlds, only Qi Training cultivators and innate martial artists can be sent in, as the high-end combat ability of the West Sea Sect cannot be utilized.

Because many small worlds can provide cultivation resources that are lacking or unavailable in the Mountain-Sea Realm, the West Sea Sect has been striving to open new small worlds for centuries.

However, most of the small worlds that have already been developed are still not very stable.

The natives, magical beasts, and Evil Spirits within these small worlds pose a significant threat to the West Sea Sect’s expanding power.

As a result, the number of sacrifices has been substantial.

A hundred years ago, the West Sea Sect established a rule requiring all Meridian Disciples to venture into a small world for training and obtain merit to match their identity before they can truly enter the nine veins.

Originally, Wang Chen’s achievements were insufficient for him to enter under the Changhe lineage.

But Changhe Zhenren could give Wang Chen an opportunity.

As long as he earned enough merit in a small world, he could become a part of Changhe Island.

Of course, this would depend on Wang Chen’s willingness.

If he did not want to take the risk, Changhe Zhenren would not force him; the rewards from the sect would still be available.

Wang Chen truly did not expect the requirements for entering the veins to be so high.

But since he had embarked on this path, he had no thoughts of turning back or stopping.

"This disciple is willing!"

"Very well."

Changhe Zhenren nodded and flicked his finger, sending forth a sphere of spiritual light: "You have three small worlds to choose from."

This pearl-sized sphere of spiritual light silently entered Wang Chen’s brow, instantly filling his Sea of Consciousness with information.

The three small worlds that Changhe Zhenren offered Wang Chen were all developed by the West Sea Sect, but they had not been fully occupied or dominated and required continued conquest.

The environments of the three small worlds and the enemies faced upon entering differed significantly.

However, the degree of danger was quite similar.

Wang Chen quickly sorted through this information in his mind and soon made his decision.

"This disciple chooses the Underworld Realm."

Changhe Zhenren was surprised: "The Underworld Realm?"

Among the three small worlds he had chosen for Wang Chen, although the danger level was similar, the cultivation environment was undoubtedly the worst in the Underworld Realm, making it the least favorable choice under normal circumstances.

Yet Wang Chen had chosen the worst of the options.

The Golden Core true master pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Good."

He did not believe Wang Chen to be an impulsive cultivator without wisdom, and the information he provided was quite detailed, so he assumed Wang Chen would not be choosing recklessly.

So, it would be as Wang Chen wished!

Changhe Zhenren flicked his finger again, producing a jade talisman: "You have half a month to prepare."