108: Great harvest! Is the second level a bonus level?

Inside the Secret Realm, the battlefield was a mess.

Only after all the Lionheart and Freedom professionals present were killed did Ye Ze open his panel to check his gains from this battle.

First was the Summoned Beast Space he had been most looking forward to:

“Super Summoned Beast Space: Summoned Beasts contracted to this space gain double star-level growth, an 80% reduction in death revival time, and +20% to all Summoned Beast attributes!”

“Special Effect—Summoned Beasts can be enhanced through equivalent exchange!”

Double star-level growth!

This was hugely beneficial for Summoned Beast cultivation. For example, if a modifier was applied, what would originally only increase by 1 star could now increase by 2 stars!

The effect of this Super Space was exceptionally well-suited for modifier cultivation.

But at the same time, there was a confusing point:

“Enhance Summoned Beasts through equivalent exchange?”

“Could it be like the curse stone statue, where paying a certain price grants a more powerful ability?”

For example, Ye Ze knew of a King-level expert who had gained high attack and speed abilities at the cost of ‘being unable to use skills’!

However, such an ability was extremely rare, appearing only once in decades during the Transcendent Era…

Ye Ze had not expected to encounter it himself.

“When I contract the next Summoned Beast, I can try the effect of equivalent exchange!”

Thinking this, Ye Ze closed the Summoned Beast Space panel, opened his backpack, and selected the exclusive equipment treasure chest!

For him, who only had two pieces of equipment, this treasure chest came at a very opportune time!

“An epic-level or higher exclusive equipment, I wonder what its effect will be?”

Ye Ze opened the treasure chest, and purple light flashed…

“Congratulations! You have opened an exclusive equipment treasure chest and obtained an epic-level weapon: Grimoire of Shadows!”

A magic book with dark red borders and pages like shadows fell into Ye Ze’s hand.

“Grimoire of Shadows (Exclusive)”

“Quality: Epic ☆☆☆☆”

“Attributes: Constitution +30, Agility +30, Spirit +60”

“Special Effect: When a Summoned Beast dies, it can transform into a Shadow Doppelganger with strength equal to its original body. Its skills refresh, and it continues to fight for 1 hour.”

“————”

“After a Summoned Beast dies, it can refresh its skills and continue fighting!?”

Ye Ze was instantly astonished.

If he had this Grimoire before, why would he have needed to use Fox Fairy and Squirrel to control the battle in advance?

He could have just let Panda charge in mindlessly!

First, unleash a wave of Ancient Shadow. Even if it was focused down and killed… it could then transform into a Shadow Doppelganger and unleash another wave of Ancient Shadow!

Just thinking about it made him feel despair for his opponents!

This exclusive weapon was definitely worth it! For Ye Ze, it was more useful than many legendary weapons!

At the same time, the familiar light of the treasure chest lit up again.

This time, a golden light flashed brightly!

“Lucky Star Shining Brightly! You have received a second treasure chest reward: Legendary Armor: Star Guardian!”

Seeing this prompt, Ye Ze was stunned.

Immediately, a blue and white uniform jacket, adorned with purple starlight, appeared from the treasure chest. It looked nothing like armor!

“Star Guardian (Exclusive)”

“Quality: Golden Legendary ☆☆☆☆”

“Attributes: Constitution +100, Spirit +50, Damage Taken -40%”

“Aura Effect—Nearby allied units gain 40% increased elemental resistance!”

“Special Effect—Upon taking fatal damage, triggers Star’s Protection, negating the damage and granting 2.5 seconds of invincibility. Cooldown: 1 day!”

“————”

Seeing the effects, Ye Ze instantly swallowed his complaints about the equipment's appearance.

Invincibility—this time, it was truly an ‘invincible’ effect!

For him, a Summoner, it was all-encompassing protection.

Especially the special effect: immunity to fatal damage plus invincibility! It would be hard to die!

Although it could only be used once a day, for Ye Ze, it was completely sufficient for his survival needs.

Ye Ze immediately equipped the two new items.

His sense of security instantly soared.

At the same time, there were 475 more lotus petals in his backpack.

Ye Ze had been focused on fighting after entering the Secret Realm, and the professionals from those two countries had farmed many monsters, so they had more lotus petals.

Of course, now they all belonged to Ye Ze!

Currently, the total number of lotus petals reached 608.

After entering the second and third layers of the Secret Realm, he would be much more generous when it came time to exchange items.

“I didn’t expect that only the four of us would be left to enter the second layer of the Secret Realm.”

From the scattered battlefield, the four Huaxia individuals gathered again, and Liu Anran asked:

“Do we have any means of communication?”

“That way, if we get separated again in the second layer, we can gather immediately.”

Zhou Qi, the Divine Healer, shook her head. “Phones are completely unusable in this Secret Realm.”

“Marks can’t be placed either…”

“Oh.” Ye Ze suddenly had an idea: “How about each of you carry a Squirrel Shadow Clone?”

“With this Shadow Doppelganger, I can send messages through it at any time and find your locations!”

He took out three Squirrel Shadow Clones and had Liu Anran, Yi Xing, and Zhou Qi each take one.

“That’s possible?”

Yi Xing, holding a Squirrel Shadow Clone, stared at it with wide eyes, couldn’t help but exclaim.

Liu Anran and Zhou Qi, both holding a Squirrel, looked like Secret Realm mascots.

“Second Layer Trial Location, Teleportation Activated!”

As the five-minute delay ended, the Secret Realm once again sounded a prompt.

The figures of the four, along with the Squirrel Shadow Clones, also disappeared.

A flash of white light.

What came into view was a spacious courtyard, with bluestone slabs covering the ground, various stone statues lining both sides, and ancient pines and green bamboos in the distance exuding a faint fragrance.

Indeed, everyone had been separated again.

“This place looks a bit like a Taoist temple!”

Seeing this scene, Ye Ze couldn't help but say, and the Fox Fairy beside him also exclaimed:

“Master, the spiritual energy here is so rich!”

“Rich spiritual energy?”

This made Ye Ze a bit curious, but he still couldn't discern anything specific.

At this moment, a voice sounded from within the Secret Realm:

“Second Layer Trial Stage Activated—‘Puppet Killing Array - Fire’!”

“You will be in a fire element interference environment, facing an endless assault of puppet stone statues. Persist for 30 minutes!”

“You may directly exit the trial stage and receive a consolation prize.”

As soon as the prompt fell, the scene before Ye Ze changed again. The ground around him was covered in a sea of fire, and an intense heat suddenly assaulted him!

Countless puppet stone statues appeared before him, all epic-level, ranging from levels 50 to 60.

Fire elemental energy would occasionally appear around them; being near it would result in violent flame scorching!

In other words.

He needed to both dodge the explosive attacks of the fire elements and fight against the endlessly surging stone statue enemies!

Crucially, this space was very small, less than a hundred meters, and he needed to persist for 30 minutes in this confined space.

It was incredibly difficult!

“No wonder the second layer trial can be exited.”

“For ordinary professionals, not to mention whether they can endure, just killing for 30 minutes would probably exhaust them to death…”

But Ye Ze was not flustered at all and immediately summoned Panda!

Fire elemental explosion damage? Wasn't that just a bath for Panda!

Now, after consuming several fire-attribute pieces of equipment, 150% fire element control was no joke!

It was equivalent to healing while fighting.

Moreover, with Fox Fairy present, ‘Heaven and Earth Borrowing Technique’ could freely manipulate the natural elements of heaven and earth.

This meant he could freely use the fire elements in the trial to deal with the enemies in the trial.

It was like using the original soup to cook the original food!

This trial, which was incredibly difficult for others…

For Ye Ze, it was practically a bonus stage!