Dual Cultivator with a cultivation system

After walking for some time, Wang Ming, Min Li, and Jiang Yao arrived at the place where everyone had rushed to earlier.

"What a majestic palace— even the Royal Palace would pale in comparison," Jiang Yao exclaimed as she gazed at the gigantic white palace. Intricate arrays were carved across its surface, and a golden light shot from within the structure straight into the sky.

She had lived her entire life in the capital, where the top families and the royal family resided. It was the richest, most luxurious city in the Black Bamboo Kingdom, and she had seen the Royal Palace countless times. Yet this palace, which had suddenly emerged, was at least three times larger and more magnificent.

"Looks like everyone has gathered here. Honestly, I didn't expect so many people to have access to this place," Min Li said as her eyes swept over the hundreds of cultivators surrounding the palace. Many stood alone, while some had already formed small groups. Still, she could sense the wariness in their eyes—even teammates were prepared to betray each other, since treasures could make people kill their own family without hesitation.

"Hmm," Wang Ming murmured as he observed the crowd. Most people wore plain robes to conceal their identities, and a few even wore masks like his. Meanwhile, the bolder ones didn't bother hiding their faces or affiliations. Either they were confident that no one would dare mess with them, or they simply assumed their faces wouldn't be recognized.

"Huh?" As Wang Ming scanned the crowd, his eyes landed on a somewhat familiar figure. He used his spiritual energy to probe the person, and his eyes lit up.

"Heh, I didn't expect to meet her here of all places," Wang Ming smirked, his gaze fixed on a lone female without a mask.

"Wang Ming, what happened?" Min Li asked with a raised eyebrow, suspicion in her voice as she noticed his focus in a certain direction.

"I just saw someone familiar. Let's go say hi," Wang Ming replied with a chuckle. Jiang Yao and Min Li exchanged a glance but still followed him.

---

"Ugh, damn it," Wu Jing cursed under her breath. After working so hard and saving up her merits, she had finally gained access to the Spirit Dimension—only for this unexpected situation to unfold.

'Sigh, even if this is an opportunity, would I even have the chance to get the treasure?'Wu Jing sighed. 'There are too many people… Should I use my identity to mooch off a powerful group?' She hesitated, thinking about revealing her identity as the princess. Surely, there would be plenty of simps willing to help her.

But then she shook her head. Most people had never even seen her before—would they even believe her? And it was far too risky; there was always the chance she could get kidnapped. She couldn't even cultivate to pass the time, as she could feel that the spiritual energy of the Spirit Dimension had thinned out and converged here to make the palace appear.

"Hey, Princess, I didn't expect to meet you here."

Wu Jing had been waiting for someone else to try entering the palace first before making her move, but all of a sudden, a man's voice addressed her, and her body trembled slightly.

"This voice…" Wu Jing stiffened as soon as she heard the familiar tone —one she could never forget. Memories of past events surfaced in her mind, and a blush crept across her face. Stiffly, she turned around, and her eyes widened in shock.

"W-Wang Ming," she stammered, her body heating up as she recalled how he had spanked her until her buttocks were red back in the secret realm, giving her a kind of pleasure she had never experienced in her entire life.

"You remember me. Long time no see," Wang Ming said with a cheeky smile.

"Y-Yes, it's been some time," Wu Jing replied quickly, masking her expression, though the blush on her face remained. Her heart pounded wildly as she averted her eyes.

"Eh, Wu Jing, you're here as well?" Jiang Yao said with wide eyes.

"Min Li, Jiang Yao?" Wu Jing blinked as she recognized both of them.

"You three know each other?" Wang Ming raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, of course we do. When the royal family and the top families gather yearly, we always meet," Jiang Yao explained with a smile.

"Forget about us—how do you two know each other?" Min Li asked curiously, her eyes darting between Wu Jing and Wang Ming.

"Hmm, we actually met in a Secret Realm," Wang Ming said in a teasing manner while looking at Wu Jing, who flinched under his gaze.

"Y-Yeah, he's right. And not only that, he also saved me from a bunch of bandits," Wu Jing said, biting her lips as she looked at Wang Ming.

"Is that so?" Min Li muttered, her eyes narrowing as she looked suspiciously between the two of them. She didn't quite believe their words—Wu Jing's strange behavior and Wang Ming's teasing smirk only fueled her doubts.

Before Min Li could press further, the crowd—who had been waiting for someone to volunteer and play cannon fodder—suddenly grew restless.

"Will anyone volunteer to be the first one to go?" a masked man shouted in a loud voice.

"Hah, only an idiot would do that," a woman snorted.

"That's right. If you're so eager, why don't you go first?" sneered another man. Others joined in mocking him—until his next words silenced the entire crowd.

"The first person will receive a free Sky Rank technique from me," the masked man declared.

"!!!!" Suddenly, everyone looked at him in disbelief.

"Damn, who is this rich person?"

"A Sky Rank technique, just for being the first one?"

"I know it might be dangerous, but… I'm still tempted."

Those with strong backgrounds were indifferent to the offer, but the weaker cultivators were clearly shaken. Finally, after some hesitation, a man gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

"I'll go. But first, I want the technique," he demanded, staring at the masked figure.

"Sure," the masked man replied casually before transmitting the technique directly into the man's mind.

"It really is a Sky Rank technique…" the man muttered in a daze. After finishing his comprehension, he briefly felt the urge to turn and run—breaking his word. But as soon as the thought entered his mind, a chill ran down his spine when he noticed the masked man's cold gaze fixed on him.

Stiffening, the man forced a bitter smile and obediently walked to the front of the palace doors under everyone's watchful gaze.