161: The Nine Heavens Secret Realm! Lei Xiao is my uncle!

His words were half-true, half-false.

He had indeed stumbled into this place, and he had indeed woken up by the lake.

As for the team getting separated, that was naturally made up.

After listening to Lu Yuan's narration, Raimond's brows furrowed again.

"The Nine Heavens Secret Realm is our Academy's exclusive secret realm, with extremely strict control. It's generally only open to our school's faculty and students."

He mused, "Junior Schoolmate, how did you get in? Did you use some special, unregistered passage?"

His tone carried an investigative edge.

The Nine Heavens Secret Realm was of great importance; if an outsider had snuck in through an unknown channel, that would be no small matter.

Lu Yuan's heart tightened, knowing he had to handle this question carefully.

He feigned recollection, scratching his head.

"This... I'm not too sure either."

He said vaguely, "The teacher who brought me in, his surname was Lei, and he seemed to be from the school's admissions office. I forgot his exact name."

"He said it was some 'experience slot' to let me broaden my horizons, and then..."

He put on an expression that said, "I'm having such a hard time."

"Teacher Lei from the admissions office?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Raimond's eyes, and he pressed, "Are you talking about a Teacher Lei who is burly, stern, from a military background, and was a colonel?"

Lu Yuan secretly rejoiced; weren't those Director Lei Xiao's characteristics?

He quickly nodded, "Yes, yes, yes! That's the Teacher Lei! Senior Schoolmate, you know him too?"

Raimond's mouth twitched slightly, his gaze somewhat complex.

"More than just know him."

He paused before slowly saying, "That's my uncle."

"Ah?" Lu Yuan feigned surprise, widening his mouth. "What a coincidence?"

But he was secretly laughing to himself, 'This is truly heaven helping me!'

"Since Uncle Lei brought you in, then there shouldn't be any problem."

Raimond shook his head. Although he still had some doubts, since Lu Yuan could accurately state Lei Xiao's identity and characteristics, and seeing his disheveled appearance, he didn't seem like someone with ulterior motives.

Perhaps Uncle Lei really did use some special channel to arrange this "experience slot."

After all, his Uncle Lei sometimes had some "unconventional" methods when it came to admissions.

"Still, Uncle Lei is really something, dropping a newcomer like you into a place like March Forest without arranging anyone to look after you."

Raimond said with some helplessness.

Lu Yuan quickly "explained," "No, no, no, Teacher Lei originally arranged for someone to take me, but then the team got separated, and only then..."

"Alright, no need to explain."

Raimond waved his hand, interrupting him.

"Since you're someone Uncle Lei brought, you can be considered half one of us from Nine Heavens Academy."

He pondered for a moment, then made a decision.

"How about this, Junior Schoolmate, you're currently alone, and moving by yourself in this March Forest is too dangerous."

"Why don't you temporarily join us? Once we complete this credit mission, we can drop you off at the entrance to the First Heaven, the Gate of Nine Heavens."

"There's a teleportation array there to return to the Academy; you can go back from there."

Lu Yuan's heart leaped with joy at these words.

This was exactly the outcome he had hoped for!

"Then... then I'm truly grateful, Senior Schoolmate Raimond!"

Lu Yuan's face showed an expression of "overwhelming gratitude," almost bowing on the spot.

"Senior Schoolmates' great kindness, Lu Yuan will never forget!"

"Don't be so polite, we're all one of us."

Raimond smiled, quite pleased with Lu Yuan's "sensible" demeanor.

The lively short-haired girl also smiled and said, "Junior Schoolmate, don't be so formal, just call me Senior Schoolmate Lin Wei."

The other team members, seeing that their captain had spoken, became much friendlier towards Lu Yuan.

They all introduced themselves to Lu Yuan.

Besides Captain Raimond and the short-haired girl Lin Wei, there was also a burly bald man named Shi Tai.

A quiet young man with glasses who looked refined, named Qin Feng, was the team's perception-type Card Master.

And finally, a delicate-looking, somewhat fragile-looking female healing-type Card Master named Liu Ying.

(After university, roles began to be categorized, maximizing efficiency and benefits based on different card deck combinations!)

(For example, a perception-type Card Master: all of his card slots are reconnaissance-type beast companions or skills, specializing in reconnaissance and perception!)

(A healing-type Card Master: all of her card slots are healing-type beast companions or skills, specializing in medical assistance, and so on and so forth.)

Lu Yuan also greeted them one by one, diligently playing the role of a "simple, harmless, and inexperienced" Junior Schoolmate.

"Oh, by the way, Senior Schoolmate Raimond, what's your credit mission this time?"

Lu Yuan asked casually, trying to glean more information.

"Is it convenient to disclose? Perhaps I can help out in some way."

He didn't want to be a burden all the time; when asking for help, one had to show some emotional intelligence.

Raimond glanced at him and mused, "Our mission this month is to hunt a Fourth-Tier Novice demonic beast, the Void Shadow Stealth Leopard, that's entrenched in Moon Scar Canyon."

"That fellow is very cunning, skilled at spatial concealment. We've been tracking it for days now."

"Void Shadow Stealth Leopard?" Lu Yuan's heart stirred.

A Fourth-Tier spatial demonic beast, that's good stuff!

If it could drop a card...Pooh,Pooh,Pooh, why am I getting greedier and greedier?

"Senior Schoolmate, I also know a little about tracking and perception."

Lu Yuan said "humbly," "If you don't mind, I can help look for it too."

Qin Feng, hearing this, pushed up his glasses and finally opened up.

"Oh? Junior Schoolmate is also good at perception?"

His tone carried a hint of assessment.

Lu Yuan smiled, "Just a superficial understanding. Compared to Senior Schoolmate Qin Feng, it's naturally showing off in front of an expert."

"However, an extra person means extra strength; who knows, we might discover some overlooked clues."

Raimond thought about it and felt that Lu Yuan had a point.

The Void Shadow Stealth Leopard was too cunning; they indeed needed more help.

Moreover, since Lu Yuan was someone Uncle Lei brought, perhaps he truly had some extraordinary abilities.

"Very well."

Raimond nodded, "Then starting tomorrow, you'll be responsible for scouting and tracking with Qin Feng."

"However, all actions must follow orders; you cannot act on your own, understand?"

He warned seriously.

"Understood! Thank you for your trust, Senior Schoolmate!"

Lu Yuan immediately replied, secretly delighted.

Plan successful!

Afterward, everyone gathered around the bonfire and chatted for a while longer.

Lu Yuan also took the opportunity to ask them many things about the Nine Heavens Secret Realm and Mobei Nine Heavens Academy.

He learned that the Nine Heavens Secret Realm was divided into nine heavens, each with its unique environment and demonic beasts.

The March Forest, where they currently were, was only the Third Heaven, abundant in spatial demonic beasts and materials, generally used for military purposes and rarely entering the market.

The higher one went, the greater the danger of the secret realm, but also the greater the opportunities.

Mobei Nine Heavens Academy organized students to enter the Nine Heavens Secret Realm monthly for training and credit missions.

This was one of their most important trial grounds.

Night gradually deepened.

Everyone took turns on watch, while the others rested whenever they could.

Lu Yuan was assigned to watch during the latter half of the night.

He sat cross-legged by the bonfire, eyes closed in meditation, but his mind was racing with plans for what to do next.

"Void Shadow Stealth Leopard..."

"Fourth-Tier spatial demonic beast..."

"Guaranteed Gold Drop..."

The corners of his mouth unconsciously curled up slightly.

He just wondered how that old schemer Bedrock was doing now.

And Little Red, he also wondered how it was doing, hoping that old schemer hadn't tortured it to death.

Lu Yuan's eyes grew cold.

Bedrock, you just wait for me!

He would settle this score, sooner or later!

And with interest!

...