116: The secret realm of Youguyuan, a reward that cannot be refused

In the council hall, the robed female councilor smiled at Qin Yuyan, her tone filled with undisguised admiration.

“Yuyan, your Ice Crystal Phoenix’s performance was truly excellent. Although it only recently touched upon the power of rules, it seems to have already maximized that trace of ice frost rule’s power.”

“The two of you, one representing the ultimate breakthrough in ‘quantity’ and ‘control,’ and the other representing the deep excavation of ‘quality’ and ‘rules,’ are both indispensable pillars of our association’s future!”

These words of praise, coming from such high-ranking, powerful, and unfathomable association magnates, carried immense weight.

Qin Yuyan bowed slightly, a hint of humility appearing on her usually cool face.

“Thank you, Aunt Liu. Yuyan will continue to work hard.”

Lin Feng took a deep breath, suppressing the lingering wariness he felt towards Chen Xuantong, and also bowed slightly.

“Thank you for your affirmation, esteemed sirs.”

His voice was calm, betraying little emotion, but deep in his eyes, caution remained.

He knew that behind these praises, there must be an ulterior motive.

The kind old councilor, who seemed to be the chairman or a person of extremely high status, nodded with satisfaction, his smile widening.

“Alright, let bygones be bygones. Let’s get back to the main topic.”

“Lin Feng, Qin Yuyan, you have proven your worth in the genius competition and earned the association’s trust. Therefore, we have decided to entrust you two with an extremely important, and equally dangerous, mission.”

He leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming serious and alluring.

“Do you know of the Secluded Valley Abyss?”

Lin Feng and Qin Yuyan exchanged glances but said nothing. They had only heard the name ‘Secluded Valley Abyss’ and knew nothing else.

“I forgot, Zhao Tieying must have told you something.”

The old councilor smiled slightly, his eyes showing a look of reminiscence and yearning.

“The Secluded Valley Abyss is an extremely special and ancient secret realm. It is not as dangerous and barren as you might imagine; quite the opposite, its outer regions are like a legendary paradise, isolated from the world.”

His voice carried a rhythm like describing a painting.

“There, mountains embrace, clouds and mist entwine, exotic flowers and plants cover the ground, and spiritual springs and waterfalls flow.”

“The air is filled with life energy so rich it’s almost liquefied; just breathing it in makes one feel refreshed and seems to cleanse the soul.”

“Rare spiritual plants, relatively gentle spiritual beasts, and even some ancient species long extinct in the outside world can be found there.”

“The outer region, after generations of exploration and management by the association, has been largely mapped out. The danger level is controllable, and it can even be said to be a rare cultivation treasure land and resource treasury.”

Lin Feng’s heart stirred. Such a beautiful secret realm? It sounded like paradise.

But since it was an important mission, it would never be so simple.

Indeed, the old councilor’s tone suddenly shifted, becoming solemn and mysterious.

“However, the true secret of the Secluded Valley Abyss is hidden in its deepest part.”

“An invisible, powerful, and incomprehensible barrier completely separates that core area from the outer region.”

“Throughout the association’s history, top Summoners have been dispatched several times to attempt to penetrate it, but without exception, all returned defeated!”

He thought of what Zhao Tieying had said when he asked him to come to Dragon Capital from Weiyang City.

“A secret realm that only Silver-level professionals are allowed to enter, yet there’s a barrier that even Gold-level familiars can’t break through! Is there another explanation for that wall?!”

Lin Feng pondered silently, but what he said was different.

“Returned defeated?”

“Yes, returned defeated.”

The resolute, hawk-eyed councilor confirmed in a deep voice, his tone carrying a hint of unwillingness and awe.

“That barrier is not a physical obstruction; it’s more like a… spatial rule or a life-level screening. It seems to disregard pure power intensity.”

“According to feedback from Summoners who returned from the Secluded Valley Abyss, no matter if their familiar’s level was Gold-level beginner or Gold-level peak, any attack they launched that approached the barrier would instantly disappear.”

“The entire barrier wouldn’t even show a ripple! It was as if no attack had ever happened!”

“And if these Summoners dared to launch a second attack, the previously vanished attack would reappear out of thin air, and its power would increase by several to dozens of times, maintaining enough force to instantly kill the familiar preparing the attack!”

“Researchers in the association have made a conjecture based on this: that barrier might not be breakable by brute force, but rather requires some extremely special ‘key’ or ‘resonance.’”

The chairman took over, his gaze burning as he looked at Lin Feng.

“So, we thought of you, Lin Feng!”

“Me?”

Lin Feng frowned slightly.

“Exactly!”

The chairman affirmed.

“Ever since the battle in the Barren World last time, when we learned from Zhao Tieying that you simultaneously summoned over a hundred familiars, we had already put your name on the list for this exploration of the Secluded Valley Abyss secret realm.”

“Your existence, in itself, is a miracle that defies convention! You possess a total mental power far exceeding your peers, and an inconceivable ‘network’-style mental power structure that allows you to control over a hundred familiars simultaneously.”

“Moreover, you also possess a pseudo-Transcendent-level familiar!”

“Although we don’t know how you did it, your existence gives us hope of entering that unknown area.”

He paused, then turned his gaze to Qin Yuyan.

“And Yuyan’s Ice Crystal Phoenix, with its initial grasp of the power of rules, especially its understanding of ‘freezing’ and ‘purification,’ might provide crucial protection and assistance when facing potential unknown dangers deep within the secret realm.”

“Your mission…”

The chairman spoke each word clearly and distinctly.

“Is to enter the Secluded Valley Abyss, reach the edge of that invisible barrier, and attempt to enter the deepest, never-before-explored unknown region of the secret realm!”

“And after entering?”

Lin Feng pressed, rapidly calculating the risks and rewards in his mind.

He needed a clearer objective.

A strange light flashed in the chairman’s eyes, carrying a mysterious, almost certain quality.

“Once you enter, you will naturally know what we want.”

“What?”

Lin Feng and Qin Yuyan were both stunned.

“Yes, you will naturally know.”

The chairman repeated, his tone quite certain.

“At the core of that unknown region, there exists something.”

“What it is, or its specific form, we cannot tell you; this is the association’s top secret!”

“But as long as you enter that core area, you will naturally understand that it is the target! You just need to bring it out!”

Lin Feng’s brows furrowed tightly.

“What if I don’t recognize ‘it’?”

“Don’t worry, as long as you can get in, you will definitely know that ‘it’ is what we are looking for!”

The chairman said definitively. He leaned back slightly in his chair, his gaze sweeping over Lin Feng and Qin Yuyan, finally settling on Lin Feng’s face as he threw out the most enticing bargaining chip.

“Lin Feng, I heard from Zhao Tieying that you are searching for ten rare materials, including star tempering bone jade, void spirit dragon tendon, abyssal giant turtle blood essence, and soul nourishing ancient tree heart!”

With a slight smile, the chairman offered the final promise.

“As long as you accept this mission, regardless of success or failure, after the exploration concludes, we will give you one rare material!”

Then he emphasized.

“If you successfully bring that item out from the deepest part of the secret realm—whatever it may be—then all ten rare materials you need will be unconditionally provided by the association!”

“Furthermore, the association will also give you an additional ‘star marrow,’ to advance your main profession talent! Allowing you to break through to Transcendent-level even faster!!”