Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost

Pay the fee, enter the Secret Realm—the entire process was as smooth as flowing water.

The Beast Garden Secret Realm of the Hundred Beast Sect had an exceptionally large number of people. Including Wang Linchi, there were nineteen in total.

The Black Iron Level participants surprisingly made up more than half, with fourteen individuals, while the remaining five were Mountain Copper Level.

Among the five, one was a disguised disciple from the Hundred Beast Sect. His identity was exposed when, while observing the others, he noticed someone was missing.

Yes, the missing person was Wang Linchi. Because Wang Linchi had wiped away the vows upon himself and changed his appearance and aura, it was impossible for the disciple to recognize him.

The remaining four Mountain Copper Level individuals could be bona fide stowaways or possibly other remnants from the Hundred Beast Sect.

However, these matters held no concern for Wang Linchi, as he had already entered the Secret Realm.

[Mission: Hunt a Beast King Species]

[Reward: Exit from the Secret Realm]

[Time limit: 90 days]

"This is actually a pure combat task?" Wang Linchi frowned. This was the first time he had encountered such a simple mission.

When creating his clone, he had collected some information regarding this large-scale Secret Realm owned by the Hundred Beast Sect.

In the Secret Realm, there were three categories of beasts: ordinary Wild Beast Species, Battle Beast Species with special abilities, and the Beast King Species, naturally supreme and extremely powerful.

The Wild Beast Species were unremarkable, including ordinary animals like wild boars, tigers, rabbits, and goats.

The Battle Beast Species were analogous to Awakeners among wild beasts, such as the classic Wind Wolves, capable of launching wind blades from their mouths.

Wang Linchi had little knowledge about the Beast King Species. It seemed to possess a certain Domain, and its strength far surpassed that of the Battle Beast Species.

It was said that even a newborn Beast King Species could possess Black Iron Level strength, reaching Mountain Copper Level as a juvenile, Secret Silver Level when mature. Furthermore, the strength of an elderly Beast King Species not only didn't decline but it would even awaken sufficient wisdom due to its age, reaching Elite Gold Level or even higher.

However, due to the survival-of-the-fittest principle among beast species and periodic culling by the Dajing Court's Awakeners, elderly Beast King Species were almost non-existent, and even mature ones were rare.

The Beast Garden Secret Realm had long since become one of the Court's supply chains.

Every part of a Beast King Species was a treasure. Its flesh could be consumed as a cultivation resource, while its bones, skin, fur, and so on, could be processed by lifestyle Awakeners into treasured Soul Devices.

In addition, the Beast King Species also produced the core Soul Kind of the Hundred Beast Sect, the Beast Shadow. This Shadow-type Soul Kind is only of Excellent Level, but it is enough to arm... no, it should be to arm academy students and Court combatants.

Of course, there was also an Epic Level Beast King Shadow, which was also a Shadow-type Soul Kind but possessed an additional Beast attribute, making it an upgraded version of the Beast Shadow. However, it wasn't as common as the Beast Shadow because Epic Level ones were too difficult to produce.

The prerequisite for it to be considered a core Soul Kind was that all disciples of the sect could possess one. Otherwise, how could the Hundred Beast Sect, whose members supposedly all had an Epic Level Soul Kind, have been wiped out by the Court?

Even in the Sky Capital, no faction could afford an Epic Level Soul Kind for every member.

Of course, Beast King Shadows were not obtained from killing Beast King Species but were rewards for completing events, which was why their production was low.

Based on the information Wang Linchi gathered, this Beast Garden Secret Realm had been almost emptied by the Dajing Court.

When it was under the Hundred Beast Sect's control, they naturally wouldn't overexploit it; instead, they would manage it carefully. But once it fell into the Court's hands, everyone desired a share, and the original output became insufficient.

Therefore, to satisfy the interests of all parties, significant exploitation was inevitable, even if it damaged the Secret Realm itself.

Currently, it had completely lost its original appearance. While the Beast King Species might not have gone extinct yet, their numbers were pitifully small. The Battle Beast Species were somewhat better off, as their value wasn't as high as that of the Beast King Species.

As for sustainable development through rational breeding? Perhaps someone had proposed it initially, but with everyone eager for a share, who cared about sustainability.

Moreover, the Beast Garden Secret Realm was a spoil of war, left behind by the vanquished. In the Court's eyes, its resources were like captives, to be exploited at will—an attitude similar to those who enjoyed "patronizing" the wives and daughters of their disgraced former colleagues forced into entertainment houses.

Pleasure first, consequences later. That was their approach.

Of course, they were also fully prepared. Although the Hundred Beast Sect's legacy hadn't been entirely severed, it was far more difficult for the looted Beast Garden Secret Realm to produce its corresponding legacy items. The Court, having plundered it, undoubtedly possessed parts of this legacy.

"The good news is that this time I don't need to search everywhere for a village from my landing spot." Wang Linchi observed the nearby village. Its inhabitants were clad in armor and carried weapons, appearing formidable.

"The bad news is that this place seems to have been assimilated by the Court and turned into a colony."

The Court had been deeply entrenched here for many years, not only conducting extensive plundering but also ruling by military force. This had allowed many traitors and members of the Guide Party to become the mainstream.

As for those who were disobedient, the solution was simple: they were killed outright.

If Wang Linchi were a legitimate Awakener, he wouldn't have to worry about any issues and would even receive aid. However, he was not.

Pretending was an option, but the question was: what could he use to pretend?

First and foremost, he lacked the attire, waist badges, and other identification items of a regular Awakener under the Court. Furthermore, corresponding documents were required for assignment purposes.

With nothing to his name, how could he succeed in impersonating one?

Did he really think that just by claiming to be an Awakener, others would believe him?

Such a thing was easier said than done.

In terms of monopolies and restrictions, the Court was the pinnacle of excellence.

"If that's the case, I should first try to obtain the Dragon Swimming and Elephant Treading Soul Forging Methods, or any other Soul Forging Method for that matter. This will help me verify whether the Black Iron Level Body Forging Secret Technique they gave me is genuine." Wang Linchi had no intention of entering the village.

The method of obtaining Soul Forging Methods in this Secret Realm was somewhat unique, being connected to the local indigenous system.

Regarding the Soul Forging Methods in the Beast Garden Secret Realm, the Court hadn't intentionally restricted access to them.

After all, restrictions already existed. A Soul Forging Method by itself was insignificant; without the corresponding Soul Kind and Soul Skill, it was no different from ordinary Soul Forging Methods.

Awakeners capable of obtaining the corresponding Soul Kind and Soul Skill either had personal capabilities or sufficient background and connections.

The former weren't a concern; one or two such talented individuals could be easily suppressed, as they were always a minority.

The latter were even less of a concern. Why would anyone risk offending those with power and influence?

"If I could obtain a Beast King Shadow Soul Kind, that would be great. Of course, it would be even better if I could also gather information on the local indigenous systems." Wang Linchi was already relishing the potential benefits.

To the Court, the indigenous systems in the Secret Realm might seem weak, but to Wang Linchi, they held potential value.

After all, the Court was mighty and had other Secret Realms for support, so dominating a large-scale Secret Realm was naturally easy for them. However, Wang Linchi still had to find Soul Forging Methods for his own cultivation. Becoming stronger would definitely rely on his own efforts.

"The Beast King Shadow Soul Kind is Epic Level, so acquiring it will likely be challenging. It's also a reward from completing events, most probably obtained through basic missions."

"As for the indigenous systems..."

"If there's a Guide Party, there must surely be a resistance."

Wang Linchi had no plans to interact with the Guide Party, as they might betray him. Moreover, the Court restricted the cultivation methods even of its own people, let alone those of the Guide Party.

In contrast, the resistance might still possess complete legacies.

The only downside was figuring out how to find them.

Mulling over these points, he walked into the mountains.

He wasn't in a rush to gather intelligence, as it wasn't immediately crucial.

What could the Guide Party possibly know? It would be more productive to search for resources in the mountains first, or, at worst, hunt a Beast King Species to complete the Secret Realm's mission.

I'm already here; the Beast King Species must also be in this area. Where else could it be?

"The ecosystem is quite rich; no wonder it can sustain such a large village." Wang Linchi commented, surveying the surroundings. The abundance of ordinary Wild Beasts explained why the villagers looked so robust.

"They live by the mountain, but they'll eventually exhaust it," Wang Linchi complained critically. "These folks haven't learned anything good from the Court's officials; instead, they've mastered the art of exploitation and plundering."

The traces in the mountains revealed that most people lived by hunting.

"Wait a minute, does this mean the entry points into the Beast Garden Secret Realm aren't random but fixed?" Wang Linchi stopped in his tracks, this thought suddenly occurring to him.

For a moment, he felt a chill.

This was definitely possible. It might not even have been the Court's doing but the Hundred Beast Sect's originally. Otherwise, if disciples were scattered randomly upon entry, how could they undergo proper training?

"Given the Court's profit-driven nature, they wouldn't establish a village at the foot of these mountains without reason. Could there be remnants of the Hundred Beast Sect nearby?" This thought abruptly struck Wang Linchi.