156: Chapter 155 [Taotie] and the Limits of the Domain's Secret Realm

Chapter 155: [Taotie] and the Limit of Inner Realm Secret Realms

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The [Jinshan Temple] secret realm had concluded, but the waves of aftermath it triggered were only beginning to ferment—

The secret realm's entrance had long since collapsed. Sun Po was just about to summon [Overlord Xiang Yu] to tear open a gap in the void and return to Jinyang City.

But [Champion Marquis] stepped forward and said, "Come with us. If I'm not mistaken, no matter where you appear in Puyang City, people from the Secret Realm Management Center will find you within half an hour."

"Official personnel? The Secret Realm Management Center?"

As the two were speaking, they suddenly saw the void beside Huo Wuji abruptly torn open, looking as though something had taken a huge bite out of it.

A voice came from within: "[Champion Marquis] is right. No need to wait until you get out—I've already come over."

Sun Po was stunned. The gap in the void seemed not big enough, so a terrifying, giant mouth opened again, fangs interlocking, viciously tearing the gap in the void open wider.

Sun Po saw the exposed sharp teeth and knew this was likely some precious ferocious beast capable of tearing open the void.

But to Sun Po's surprise, after the giant mouth pushed through, out came a person.

This was a very bizarre fat man. His belly protruded first, and growing right on that belly was a horrifying, terrifying giant mouth.

Around the edge of the giant mouth were layers of eerie, sharp teeth. Its interior was pitch-black and deep, with no visible tongue or organs, resembling a bottomless pit.

The giant mouth opened and closed continuously as if chewing on something, causing the man's entire belly to quiver slightly.

The fat man also wore a uniform, except the chest didn't bear a Yellow Dragon emblem, but rather a multicolored cross-rift pattern.

The fat man's belly had already squeezed out, but his head and torso got stuck.

An anxious voice came from behind the gap: "[Taotie]!! Open it wider! This gap is too narrow, I can't fit through!!"

The giant mouth on his belly chewed violently. After a few bites, it gnawed around the edge of the gap. Only then did a grotesquely obese face squeeze in from outside, followed finally by his limbs, which he dragged in with considerable effort.

The obese man smoothed down his small tuft of slick, shiny hair. After nodding to Huo Wuji and Ranger Xuanyuan first, he then turned to Sun Po and said, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Mancang, the Director of the Secret Realm Management Center. Hearing that there's a genius who reached the strength of the inner realm secret realm limit as a high school senior, I came specifically to take a look."

Taotie, Mancang? The names of this person and mouth were truly a bizarre pairing.

As for the Secret Realm Management Center, Sun Po was no stranger to it; Gaoping City had one as well.

Earlier, when Sun Po was selling the true name of Heavenly Soldier in Gaoping City, a municipal Secret Realm Management Center director had even come to purchase it.

This institution is a functional department under the Card Association, responsible for secret realm level evaluations, disaster warnings, and offering services like secret realm exploration equipment rentals.

It is a profit-oriented department; applications for public secret realm explorations are ultimately stamped and approved by them, and services like material pouch rentals are also provided by them, though they are far from cheap.

However, this [Jinshan Temple] secret realm belonged to the Li Family, and Jinyang City was the ancestral land of the Li Family under their direct jurisdiction, so the Secret Realm Management Center here had been replaced by the Qianniu Guard.

But the person before him was definitely no ordinary civil official. Sun Po keenly noticed that when the other party introduced himself, he did not add any prefix to "Secret Realm Management Center."

One must realize that while the top leader of each city's Secret Realm Management Center is a director, this obese man in front of him was the Director of the national Secret Realm Management Center.

In other words, he was the top leader of the Secret Realm Management Center in the entire Yanhuang Ancient Country!!

Furthermore, Sun Po recalled that the primary material for making material pouches seemed to be a material called [Taotie Gastric Membrane]. Could it be sourced directly from the terrifying mouth on this fat man's belly?

That was an official exclusive monopoly. If that was truly the case, then this fat man's value was truly immeasurable.

Moreover, one of the official Five Title Card Makers was [Taotie], and nine times out of ten, it was this very man.

Top leader of a national executive department, core figure of official monopoly industries, one of the official Five Title Card Makers—this was a true big shot, and likely one of the top figures in the entire Yanhuang Ancient Country.

He had merely entered a secret realm, yet he had actually alerted a figure like this?

At the same time, he noticed a term—Inner Realm Secret Realm Limit. This term set his imagination running wild.

What did it mean? Were there secret realms outside the realm too? Was the weight of limit that secret realms outside the realm could bear different from those within the realm?

To the side, [Champion Marquis] Huo Wuji still maintained his corporate slave appearance, speaking solemnly to [Taotie] Mancang:

"This violates rules. Everyone knows your importance; you shouldn't come into the void recklessly. I will propose restricting your range of activities at the end-of-year meeting."

[Taotie] Mancang rolled his eyes, while [Coachman] Ranger Xuanyuan behind Huo Wuji shrugged helplessly, making a powerless gesture.

Mancang ignored Huo Wuji entirely, patted Sun Po's shoulder, and said:

"Good kid! When [Coachman] previously said he was patrolling the River of Time and picked up a commoner genius, I didn't believe him.

Looking at you now, it's truly remarkable! Reaching the power of the inner realm secret realm limit as a high school senior.

How about it? Interested in becoming my disciple? I can't guarantee other things, but following me, you'll definitely never lack resources."

Sun Po knew that the person before him really had the confidence to say this. The price of material pouches was obvious to all, and as an indispensable core figure, he essentially ran a complete monopoly business, making him undoubtedly among the wealthiest even among Title Card Makers.

But what Sun Po couldn't understand was why, seemingly overnight, a bunch of Title Card Makers wanted to take Sun Po as a disciple.

If it was because his reputation was obscure before, he had already been saved by [Coachman] Ranger Xuanyuan during the [Yang Guang] incident. Why didn't he rush to take Sun Po as a disciple back then?

Was it simply because he now possessed [Huang Chao / Zhong Kui], [Overlord Xiang Yu], and [Eding]?

These cards might possess infinite potential, but after witnessing the grand scale of these outer-realm powerhouses taking action, Sun Po didn't think these cards of his could catch the eye of these Title Card Makers right now.

So where was the issue? Could it be the [Power of Merit]? That stuff was indeed mysterious, but it wasn't non-existent. In comparison, Title Card Makers were surely even rarer, weren't they?

Sun Po pondered for a moment, and having no clue, he stopped dwelling on it. With insufficient information now, he would just take things as they came.

This was already the third Title Card Maker who wanted to take him as a student. He didn't want to make a rash decision at this moment, so he said:

?

"Sorry, I haven't made up my mind yet."

Mancang didn't seem surprised either. He laughed aloud and said, "No matter, no matter! We'll talk about it later, talk about it later."

Sun Po found it even stranger. Why? One of the country's Five Title Card Makers!! The top leader of an executive department of the Card Association, the core of the official monopoly business!

When a figure like this wanted to take him as a disciple and was rejected, logically, even out of a powerhouse's pride, he shouldn't bring up the matter again. Why would he still say "we'll talk about it later"?

As Sun Po was thinking, Mancang continued, "The age at which you broke the Inner Realm Secret Realm Limit broke the record of 19 years old set by that kid Ranger Xuanyuan. Though that kid had the [south-pointing chariot], taking too much of a shortcut. Yours has far higher value than his."

Ranger Xuanyuan was unhappy, stepping forward to say, "Which of us took a shortcut? When you were still an Intermediate Card Maker, you relied on the [Taotie] in your stomach to eat an entire B-Rank Secret Realm completely clean! You didn't take a shortcut?"

Mancang pulled out a delicate little comb and combed that small tuft of shiny hair on top of his head, saying, "That's still better than you cheating by using the [south-pointing chariot] to crash into higher-dimensional space."

Hearing the word 'cheating', Ranger Xuanyuan clearly got anxious and said, "My surname is Xuanyuan! Using a treasure from my Xuanyuan Family, how can that count as cheating?"

Listening to their argument, Sun Po felt like he was watching gods fight. He originally thought he was outrageous enough, but it turned out there were always stronger experts.

A giant mouth eating an entire secret realm clean? Driving the [south-pointing chariot] to crash into higher-dimensional space to cheat?

In Huaxia mythology, [Taotie] was a beast of gluttony. It seemed that in this world, [Taotie]'s appetite was equally shocking. It was just unknown why [Taotie] ended up in Mancang's stomach, and how that mouth on his belly was formed.

And this [south-pointing chariot] made Sun Po realize what the foundation of a top clan was. This time, the high-dimensional Jinshan Temple had left Sun Po helpless.

Precisely because Sun Po's power seemed unable to break through dimensional restrictions yet, whereas Ranger Xuanyuan could rely on the [south-pointing chariot]

to directly charge into a higher dimension.

Furthermore, the [south-pointing chariot] could travel to the River of Time. If this thing could also travel to the legendary River of Destiny, he could probably truly go wherever he pleased.

Thinking back to [Zhuang Zhou]'s power that turned powers that appeared in dreams into reality, Sun Po felt that Title Card Makers were truly worthy of being the pinnacle of the Card Maker profession—every single one of them seemed to be a complete anomaly.

As he was thinking, he suddenly heard Huo Wuji cut in coldly out of nowhere: "Alright, Mancang, do you have any other business?"

This was clearly issuing an eviction order. Mancang didn't care at all, shouting out, "What else could there be? Doesn't a Card Maker who breaks the Inner Realm Secret Realm Limit need to register?

Doesn't an Inner Realm Non-Disclosure Agreement need to be signed? As the Director of the Secret Realm Management Center, coming to sign the Inner Realm Secret Realm Conduct Regulations with a newcomer who broke the inner realm limit, is that not allowed?"

Huo Wuji said calmly, "Couldn't you just let your subordinates handle this kind of thing? Running into the void yourself—don't you know how many eyes are watching that mouth on your belly?"

Mancang rolled his eyes and muttered about bad luck, saying, "Your ancestor Huo Qubing was such a heroic and valiant man, how did he give rise to someone with a cautious temperament like yours? Fine, fine, I'm heading back now."

With that, Mancang turned to Sun Po and smiled, "Little Friend Sun, let's go. We'll talk outside." As he spoke, the giant mouth on his belly tore the gap in the void open even wider.

Huo Wuji also stepped forward and said, "Go ahead, Student Sun. See you in a week." Sun Po cupped his fists, thanked Huo Wuji and Ranger Xuanyuan for helping him twice, and followed Mancang out of the secret realm.

When he stepped out of the secret realm behind Mancang, he was still at the entrance of the [Jinshan Temple] secret realm. Li Tiance was at the entrance, followed by a dark-faced burly man and a heroic general.

Both were armored and armed with weapons, who were precisely [Yuchi Yigde] and [Qin Qiong]. Further back were Yuan Tiangang and several Qianniu Guards.

Seeing Sun Po and Mancang come out, Li Tiance took two steps forward and cupped his hands to Mancang: "Second Uncle-in-law, haven't seen you in years, you're as magnificent as ever."

Mancang also smiled and said, "Kid Tiance? Grown so big already? Time really flies."

The two seemed acquainted. After exchanging pleasantries for a bit, Mancang said, "Since those enforcers of your old man's aren't around, I can stay and play for a few more days."

Saying that, he turned back and said, "Alright, Little Friend Sun. Since you and Kid Tiance are acquainted, I'll wander around Jinyang City for a few days. You two chat first. Let Kid Tiance tell you about the registration. When you reach Shangjing City for the national competition, come find me at the Secret Realm Management Center."

Before Sun Po could answer, Mancang had already slung his arm toward Yuan Tiangang and shouted, "Old Yuan, let's go, let me buy you a drink! I heard your Wangfeng Tower added new dishes? Hurry, hurry, I've been craving it all along the way!"

Yuan Tiangang also seemed very familiar with Mancang, and the two walked out together chatting and responding to each other.

Sun Po looked at the backs of Mancang and the other, dumbfounded: "Director Mancang actually hails from the Li Family?"

Ranger Xuanyuan and Mancang were both from major aristocratic families? A prominent family was indeed a prominent family. Two of the official Five Title Card Makers were already confirmed to be from prominent families. What about [Champion Marquis]? Could he also be from a prominent family?

Sun Po was very curious. Logically, if a Title Card Maker came from one's own family, how could they be released to the official authorities?

Li Tiance said, "When Director Mancang was young, he married into many major families as a matrilocal son-in-law and became acquainted with many major families. The Li Family is one of them."

Sun Po: "Is it the kind of marrying into the wife's family that I understand?"

Li Tiance said, "That exact marrying into the family, but Director Mancang didn't stay too long in any of the major families."

Sun Po couldn't understand this. With such a gold mine of infinite potential, how was it that none of these families recognized his true worth? Not a single one kept Mancang for long.

Li Tiance seemed to discern Sun Po's doubts and said, "It's a long story. First, let me congratulate Brother Sun on reaching the strength of the inner realm limit. Breaking the realm as a high school senior is truly unprecedented! But I wonder where Brother Jianren has gone?"

Sun Po's expression dimmed. He briefly explained to Li Tiance what happened in the secret realm. Upon hearing it, Li Tiance's eyes revealed a look of envy, and he said:

"Brother Sun, if you aren't a person with an Emperor's Destiny, it's hard to understand how great a fortune this is. This matter can't be explained in just a word or two either. How about I host a reception dinner for Brother Sun, and we chat about it over the meal?"

After such a long period of high-intensity combat, Sun Po was indeed a bit hungry, but even more exhausted. His mind had been tense for a long time and truly couldn't hold out any longer; he just wanted a good night's sleep right now.

Thus, he declined Li Tiance's offer, saying, "How about after a week? If that kid Jianren is safe and sound, the three of us can gather together then?"

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