18: Chapter 18 The Money-Giving Boy

Inside the J-3000 Divine Warship, the space was unimaginably vast, completely unlike the scale of the hull observed from the outside.

Su Ming's gaze swept around, his eyes filled with astonishment.

"Don't look too much, the entire warship is equipped with top-tier space folding technology." Gu Qingfeng casually explained from the side, his tone plain.

"As expected of a flying warship worth hundreds of millions, just this space folding technology is something ordinary flying ships don't have."

Su Ming couldn't help but sigh with emotion inwardly.

At this moment, Mu Qingge's cold and clear voice faintly resounded through the cabin.

"The east cabin area is your exclusive residence. You can choose any room and bind it by injecting your own Divine Domain aura. The voyage will last for three days. Do not disturb me if nothing is the matter, and if something is the matter... there is no need to look for me either."

After these few words fell, her figure dissipated out of thin air, neat and decisive, leaving not a trace behind.

Su Ming was dumbfounded on the spot.

This Commander Mu was simply too casual and unconventional.

The next second, an exquisite and translucent virtual figure slowly condensed before everyone's eyes—it was a miniature version of Mu Qingge, with a much gentler temperament.

"Hello, students. I am the warship's intelligence brain. Next, I will guide you to your daily quarters. During the voyage, you can submit all requests to me."

Everyone obediently followed the intelligence brain forward.

Along the way, holographic projections, psychic energy channels, automatic energy-gathering magic arrays, and Divine Domain stability-maintaining devices emerged in an endless stream.

Top-tier technology and the Divine Dao system were perfectly blended, and the dazzling array of advanced facilities truly opened Su Ming's eyes.

Everyone quickly chose their rooms, and Su Ming and Gu Qingfeng tacitly chose adjacent residences.

The rooms were over three hundred square meters, with an elegant layout.

All cultivation and living supplies were fully provided, the Divine Domain spiritual energy was constant year-round, and the cultivation environment far surpassed the outside world.

The three-day voyage passed in a flash.

Hum—!

The entire divine warship trembled slightly and steadily decelerated.

Su Ming, who was cultivating in his room, instantly restrained his aura, opened his eyes, and stood up.

"Attention all students, the Hanging Secret Realm has arrived. Proceed immediately to the top deck to gather."

Mu Qingge's cold and clear voice sounded, devoid of a trace of emotion.

No one dared to delay; everyone left their rooms at the fastest speed and headed straight for the deck.

The moment they stepped onto the deck, a vast cosmic scroll unfolded before their eyes.

In the deep space, a hazy, mist-shrouded floating giant continent drifted quietly.

The heaven and earth spiritual energy surged like a tide, and the fluctuations of laws were obscure and deep, resembling a celestial realm in the mortal world.

This was the Hanging Secret Realm.

In the airspace around the periphery of the secret realm, hundreds of standard divine warships were densely parked, varying in size and grade, obviously the carrier ships of the major top-tier academies and aristocratic family factions within the Canglan Star Domain.

Genius figures from all sides gathered here, their auras standing like a forest, with undercurrents surging.

In the distance, Mu Qingge was talking in low voices with several deities whose auras were equally powerful.

A soft, crisp giggle came at the right time: "Mu Sister, you came just in time. There is exactly one hour left before the secret realm opens."

The person speaking was a petite loli who looked young, but her eyes hid a profoundness refined by time, and her cultivation base was unfathomable.

Mu Qingge, who was always cold and aloof, unexpectedly softened her brow slightly at this moment and nodded slightly: "Luo Li, it has been ten thousand years since we last parted. Trust you have been well."

The True God named Luo Li swept her gaze over the hundreds of people on the deck, full of curiosity: "Are these the geniuses from Blue Star?"

"Mn," Mu Qingge responded faintly.

At the same time, Su Ming quickly scanned the entire airspace, calculating inwardly.

Hundreds of factions gathered together, and the deities participating in this secret realm probably numbered no less than twenty thousand.

Don't think twenty thousand is a small number; you must know that almost everyone who can arrive here is a genius from various planets.

"There really are a lot of people," Su Ming sighed softly.

Gu Qingfeng had long been accustomed to such scenes and timely spoke up to popularize knowledge, his tone carrying solemnity: "This is the top-tier secret realm of the Canglan Star Domain once a year. Countless geniuses break their heads just to fight for entry qualifications. I've heard that genuine divine artifacts have appeared in the Hanging Secret Realm."

"Divine artifact?!" Su Ming's eyes lit up slightly.

"Although it's a lowest-grade inferior divine artifact, it's still a supreme treasure containing complete laws."

A trace of envy flickered in Gu Qingfeng's eyes.

"Even a demigod, by borrowing the power of a divine artifact's laws, can briefly contend head-on with a True God. Its value is immeasurable."

Su Ming's mind surged with emotion.

He knew that the Hanging Secret Realm was not simple, but this was a secret realm targeted only at demigod deities; he truly hadn't expected that there would actually be divine artifacts inside.

At this moment, his expectations for the Hanging Secret Realm reached max capacity.

Li Yuan on the side couldn't help pouring cold water: "Don't think too much. Whether the rumors of divine artifacts are true or false remains unconfirmed. Even if they are real, with tens of thousands of geniuses fighting for them, the probability of us getting one is minuscule."

Gu Qingfeng immediately frowned and retorted: "Without a shred of ambition, what's the point of charging into secret realms or fighting for divine mansion slots?"

"Hehe, with just the likes of you, you still want to touch a divine artifact? Pure wishful thinking."

A sneer filled with extreme mockery suddenly cut in.

A tall youth with an arrogant expression walked over slowly, his brows and eyes full of contempt. It was precisely the genius of the Liu Family—Liu Hongfeng.

The moment they saw him, Gu Qingfeng and Li Yuan's expressions simultaneously turned cold and gloomy.

The Gu Family and Li Yuan's Li Family were long-established aristocratic families, while the Liu Family was a rising newborn-generation wealthy clan of the past ten thousand years.

Both sides were naturally in a hostile state, and over the years, there had been constant friction between them, with their younger generations being even more tit-for-tat.

"Liu Hongfeng, shut your mouth if you don't know how to speak." A slight chill condensed in Gu Qingfeng's eyes. "Don't force me to slap you before the secret realm opens."

Li Yuan's tone was even colder, consisting of only a single word: "Scram."

Liu Hongfeng's face instantly turned livid, and his anger surged.

Knowing that he couldn't defeat the geniuses of the two major aristocratic families in a one-on-one fight, he didn't dare to confront them head-on.

Shifting his gaze, he suddenly locked onto the silent Su Ming beside them.

He was not a student of Xingyao Deity Middle School, but he had also heard that a dark horse had emerged in their school's mock battle yesterday.

Crushing Gu Qingfeng and Li Yuan in one fell swoop to take the school's first place.

Since he couldn't suppress the geniuses of the two major aristocratic families, trampling this civilian dark horse to pieces would still allow him to hold his head high!

Liu Hongfeng looked at Su Ming with undisguised disdain, looking down from above: "You are Su Ming?"

Su Ming couldn't be bothered to pay attention to such a clown jumping about, directly ignoring him and not even sparing him a glance.

Being completely ignored made Liu Hongfeng's anger even more intense, and his pitch raised a bit: "I'm talking to you, are you mute?"

"Liu Hongfeng, it's not your turn to provoke my friend!" Gu Qingfeng instantly stepped forward, his aura oppressive.

Su Ming raised his hand to gently press down on his shoulder, stopping Gu Qingfeng who had stepped out for him.

He raised his eyes to look at Liu Hongfeng, his expression plain and waveless: "Something the matter? We are not close."

Stung even more uncomfortably by his calm posture, Liu Hongfeng gritted his teeth and spoke: "I want to have a wager-fight with you! Let's bet on our rankings in this secret realm!"

"A wager-fight? Reason." Su Ming raised an eyebrow.

Liu Hongfeng's eyes flickered for a moment.

He couldn't very well say he wanted to step on a civilian dark horse to act cool and suppress people, so he could only stubbornly put on an arrogant front: "You don't need to worry about the reason; I'll put up one hundred thousand divine crystals! If you dare to accept, let's bet! If you don't dare, admit your inferiority and obediently bow your head!"

One hundred thousand divine crystals!

A brilliant flash of light instantly swept across the depths of Su Ming's eyes.

What he lacked the most right now were divine crystals.

To him, where was Liu Hongfeng an enemy at this moment? He was clearly a cash cow coming to his door of his own accord!

With the subordinate races led by the two heroes, Ghost General and Wawan, dealing with trash like Liu Hongfeng was an absolute breeze.

A game where he would win steadily without losing, free divine crystals given away for nothing—not earning them would be a waste!

Gu Qingfeng on the side was just about to open his mouth to remind him, but catching sight of that familiar smile in Su Ming's eyes, he instantly shut his mouth tightly and conveniently grabbed Li Yuan as well.

He understood Su Ming too well.

Once this expression came out, someone was definitely going to get scammed miserably.

Su Ming feigned calmness and shook his head slightly: "One hundred thousand is too little, not interested."

Liu Hongfeng was stunned, then flew into a rage from embarrassment.

A bottom-tier civilian actually dared to look down on it for being too little?

Thinking that Su Ming was deliberately putting on an act to suppress his momentum, he gritted his teeth and raised the price: "Two hundred thousand! Three hundred thousand!"

Su Ming's expression remained plain throughout, unmoved.

Driven to the point of losing all face, Liu Hongfeng completely lost his head, his eyes turning red as he said fiercely: "Five hundred thousand! The final bottom line! If you're a man, accept it! If you don't dare to accept, admit defeat publicly and acknowledge that your reputation is undeserved!"

Here it comes!

Su Ming laughed inwardly, his face instantly feigning displeasure as if provoked publicly and unable to step down, and he said coldly: "You dare to provoke me? This bet, I accept it!"

Fearing that the other party would go back on his word, he immediately struck while the iron was hot: "A verbal statement is untrustworthy, establish a deity contract!"

Before his voice faded, a deity contract template notarized by the Heavenly Dao directly emerged and landed in front of Liu Hongfeng.

Liu Hongfeng was dumbfounded on the spot.

He had originally prepared himself for a tug-of-war, never expecting that Su Ming would lose his head upon being provoked and neatly and decisively accept the wager.

"This guy... why is he suddenly so impulsive? Could there really be a trick?" His heart inexplicably panicked, giving birth to a trace of hesitation.

Seeing this, Gu Qingfeng immediately sneered to add insult to injury, precisely puncturing his self-esteem: "You were the one who took the initiative to propose the bet, and now that they've accepted, you turn cowards? Liu Hongfeng, if you don't dare to sign, scram back, and stop making a fool of yourself here!"

Stimulated publicly, Liu Hongfeng's head heated up, completely suppressing his doubts as he gritted his teeth and said: "I'll sign! Five hundred thousand divine crystals, I can afford to lose! Can a civilian like you pull out five hundred thousand?"

"He can't pull it out, I'll bear it for him," Gu Qingfeng said in an arrogant tone. "The deity contract has the Heavenly Dao as witness. If you breach the contract, the severe consequence is the shattering of your Divine Domain and the fall of the deity. Do you think we would renege on a debt?"

Liu Hongfeng had no way out anymore and signed on the spot.

Watching the contract take form and the Heavenly Dao imprint fall, Su Ming completely let out a sigh of relief in his heart, forcibly suppressing the smile at the corners of his mouth.

A steady profit of five hundred thousand divine crystals, an unexpected windfall from the heavens!

He couldn't be bothered to look at this fat pig that delivered itself to his door anymore and waved casually: "All right, scram."

This contemptuous posture made Liu Hongfeng's chest heave violently with anger, but he didn't dare to entangle any further. He could only fiercely drop the sentence "You'll regret it sooner or later" and turned around to leave in a dejected manner.

After he walked far away, Gu Qingfeng couldn't help asking: "Do you really have certainty? Liu Hongfeng's strength is not weak; he is definitely no mediocre hand."

"An absolute breeze." Su Ming's smile was open and full of confidence, "Five hundred thousand given away for pure nothing, a steady profit without loss."

"Alright, I believe you." Gu Qingfeng shook his head helplessly, completely setting his mind at ease.

Right at this moment, Mu Qingge's figure quietly landed back on the deck.

Su Ming keenly sensed that those cold and clear eyes that seemed to see through worldly affairs faintly paused on him for a transient moment, seeming to carry exploration, seeming to carry profound meaning.

It was just that the gaze flashed past so quickly that it made him unable to distinguish whether it was an illusion or reality.

Mu Qingge glanced around the entire audience, speaking in a cold and clear voice that resounded across the entire deck: "One hour later, the Hanging Secret Realm officially opens. This trial will last for seven days."

"After entering the secret realm, you will be randomly teleported into it. Inside the secret realm, crises lurk everywhere; opportunities and murderous intents coexist. If you encounter fatal danger, instantly crush the trial token at your waist, and you can instantly escape the dangerous situation and be safely teleported out."

Su Ming lowered his head to look at the archaic token at his waist.

This was the trial voucher uniformly issued after boarding the warship. It was both the entry qualification and the ultimate life-saving trump card.

An hour passed in a flash.

The Hanging Secret Realm shrouded in distant fog suddenly trembled and roared.

The entire hazy barrier was torn apart from the middle. A vast spatial passage traversing heaven and earth slowly unfolded. Deep within the passage, flowing light rolled and laws roared, exuding an ancient and boundless secret realm aura.

"The secret realm opens, enter for the trial."

Mu Qingge's cold and clear voice fell, and her sleeve lightly waved.

A layer of soft yet irresistible white light barrier instantly enveloped Su Ming and the others, smoothly sending everyone steadily into the spatial passage.

Before their eyes suddenly turned white, extreme flowing light swallowed all vision.

After a brief flash of spatial dizziness, Su Ming opened his eyes abruptly, and a peerless world of extreme magnificence slammed into his view.

This was a boundless floating ancient continent.

The tens of thousands of miles of mountains and rivers and thousands of rivers and peaks in the world's perception were as small as square-inch dust here, not worth mentioning.

Gazing far into the distance, heaven and earth were boundless and without boundaries, with no end in sight.

Above their heads, the eternal divine firmament overturned and hung down. Layers upon layers of purple-gold divine clouds traversed the dome, heavy and majestic, as if hundreds of millions of divine mountains were stacked and suspended in the nine heavens, suppressing the vast earth.

Between the gaps in the clouds, hundreds of millions of dazzling divine radiances fell down. Divine lights of various colors such as gold-red, azure-blue, mysterious black, and bright white intertwined and wrapped around each other, circulating brilliantly extreme law rosy clouds.

The heaven and earth spiritual energy was so dense it was close to liquefaction, and the ancient Dao rhythm rushing toward their faces cleansed their limbs and bones.

"This is the Hanging Secret Realm..."

Even though he had long heard of its great reputation, witnessing such miraculous sights with his own eyes, Su Ming still found it hard to conceal the shock in his heart.

But in a flash, an invisible power of heaven and earth suppression suddenly descended upon his body.

The divine domain divine power surging within his body was instantly locked layer by layer, and his realm and cultivation were completely sealed, ultimately maintaining a level on par with his subordinate races.

Su Ming understood in his heart.

This was the unique rule of the Hanging Secret Realm.

In this place, the deity's own cultivation base was completely sealed, and their combat power was on par with their subordinate races.

They did not judge superiority based on the deity's realm, but decided victory or defeat solely by their subordinate races.

What the Hanging Secret Realm tested was the deity's ability to cultivate subordinate races, coordinate layouts, and respond to emergencies on the spot.

Su Ming's gaze fell upon the trial token at his waist. With a gentle flick of his fingertips, the token immediately rippled with a layer of pale silver spiritual light, and a translucent light screen slowly unfolded, revealing the secret realm rankings impressively.

He casually flipped through the rankings, and after a long while, he found his own name.

16,593rd place, Su Ming, 0 points.

Just as he was pondering, the rankings suddenly fluctuated violently, and the densely packed ranks and names rapidly alternated and rose and fell.

In just a moment, the first place had already obtained one hundred points.

Su Ming's brows slightly twitched, and he muttered softly: "Someone has already obtained points so quickly. It seems I cannot slack off either."

Spatial ripples stirred beside Su Ming, and the Gate of the Divine Domain quietly took shape.

Amidst the flowing light and shadow, Wawan and Adah stepped out successively, followed closely by a group of Underworld subordinate races, neatly arrayed with steady auras.

After landing, Wawan raised her eyes to look at this magnificent and miraculous world, her eyes full of curiosity and astonishment, and asked softly: "Divine Lord, is this the Hanging Secret Realm?"

At this time, through these past few days of cultivation, Wawan's cultivation base had already been upgraded to the fourth stage of Transcendent.

"Mn," Su Ming restrained his mind, his gaze suddenly turning sharp.

"There are countless opportunities here. Strike first to gain the upper hand; being a step late will cause others to seize the initial opportunity. Immediately investigate the surrounding terrain and search for resources and opportunities."

Wawan took nearly a hundred elite Purple Zombies to stay behind her side as close personal guards.

All the remaining Underworld subordinate races completely dispersed, transforming into several squads to deeply explore in all directions, clear away hidden dangers, and search for secret realm opportunities.

The entire area instantly became orderly, with offense, defense, and exploration all meticulously covered.

At this moment, across various places in the massive Hanging Secret Realm, almost all the newly arrived deities who had landed had begun their exploration.