Elder Zhao smiled faintly and said, "This Tianwu Secret Realm has been abandoned. I was ordered to guard it and rescued you."
"The Tianwu Secret Realm is abandoned? What happened?"
Zhou Yan was greatly shocked by this.
"Alas!"
Elder Zhao sighed and explained, "This secret realm should have existed hundreds of years ago and was shared with the Tianwu Academy of the Tianwu Dynasty. Unfortunately..."
At this point, Elder Zhao's tone grew somber, and his eyes showed sadness and anger.
"Those aliens launched a rebellion eight hundred years ago, attempting to invade the Tianwu Dynasty and slaughter our human race."
"After the Tianwu Secret Realm was occupied by the aliens, it was completely sealed, and no one could enter again."
"Later, the Tianwu Dynasty dispatched a troop to be stationed here to maintain order and prevent those aliens from regaining control of the Tianwu Secret Realm."
"However, unexpectedly, there was still a secret realm entrance hidden within the Tianwu Secret Realm."
"The Tianwu Secret Realm was sealed by the aliens using secret arts. It opens once every hundred years, attracting many young talents to enter and cultivate within."
"This time, when the Tianwu Secret Realm opened, various prominent families and powerful clans poured into the realm, vying for opportunities and fortune. However, this realm is fraught with danger, and the mortality rate is extremely high."
"If I hadn't happened to be nearby, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to save you."
Elder Zhao recounted the tale.
"Was the secret realm entrance sealed?"
Zhou Yan murmured.
So, the reason he fell into the secret realm was all thanks to the secret realm entrance.
It was truly lamentable that such a realm was occupied by aliens.
"In that case, you must have been teleported by the secret realm to its outer perimeter," Elder Zhao continued.
"Besides me, there should still be quite a few people inside the secret realm, right?" Zhou Yan asked.
"Mm."
Elder Zhao nodded. "Not just our human race, but other races and demonic beasts are all inside as well."
"Rest assured, that secret realm entrance is not controlled by the aliens, so we can return to the secret realm at any time."
"As for you, you'll have to wait for a while until the secret realm entrance opens again before you can return."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan breathed a sigh of relief.
Since that was the case, he was temporarily safe.
"Then, Elder Zhao, when can I return to Tianwu City?" Zhou Yan asked.
He now only wished to return to Tianwu City as soon as possible.
Otherwise, his father and sister would surely be worried sick.
"Young friend, you are truly lucky."
Elder Zhao looked at Zhou Yan with a smile. "You obtained a precious treasure when you entered the secret realm this time."
"Oh?" Zhou Yan asked in surprise. "What is it?"
"It is a seventh-grade spirit medicine, the Thousand Leaf Grass."
"You are suffering from a serious illness. After taking this medicine, you will be completely cured."
"Seventh-grade spirit medicine? Thousand Leaf Grass?"
Zhou Yan became excited upon hearing this.
"Thank you, Elder."
He clasped his hands in greeting, his spirits soaring.
As long as his injuries could be healed, he would be able to recover his strength.
Furthermore, he would also obtain a fifth-grade pill.
This adventure was definitely worth it.
"You're welcome."
Elder Zhao waved his hand, but a hint of regret appeared on his face. "Alas, the secret realm collapsed, and the Thousand Leaf Grass has also disappeared."
"Alas! What a pity..."
Hearing this, Zhou Yan's mouth twitched. He thought to himself, "Elder Zhao, what does this have to do with me?"
"Never mind, let's not dwell on that for now."
Zhou Yan suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and said, "Elder Zhao, could you please help investigate what kind of alien race that alien legion was, and in what direction they are located?"
"You don't suspect that alien legion is hiding within our Tianwu Secret Realm, do you?"
Upon hearing this, Elder Zhao burst into laughter. "Young friend, you are overthinking."
"The Tianwu Secret Realm was built by the founding ancestor of the Tianwu Dynasty with immense resources. How could those aliens possibly covet it?"
Zhou Yan nodded.
Indeed.
The Tianwu Secret Realm contained many forbidden arrays and artifacts of unfathomable power.
If those aliens had truly infiltrated, even Saint Lord-level cultivators would likely perish.
"Young friend, since you are awake, you should leave quickly."
Elder Zhao cautioned him. "This area is very close to the core region of the secret realm. There are many aliens, so it is not advisable to linger too long, lest you encounter danger."
"Yes, I understand, junior."
Zhou Yan nodded in agreement.
Then, he bid farewell to Elder Zhao and turned to leave.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Zhou Yan felt a strange fluctuation in his mind.
"Huh?"
Zhou Yan's expression stiffened, and he reached into his embrace, pulling out a sheepskin scroll.
"This is..."
"A Bloodline Contract!"
Upon close examination, Zhou Yan finally discovered the writing on the sheepskin.
It was indeed a Bloodline Contract!
"Could it be that the black alien gave it to me?"
Zhou Yan fumbled with it for a moment, then his eyes lit up as he recalled everything that had just happened.
"Did that black alien form a bloodline contract with me?"
Zhou Yan speculated in his heart.
He carefully sensed the familiar bloodline connection and was overjoyed.
"Yes, it's it!"
"That black alien has a bloodline contract with me!"
"However, what kind of alien is this black alien?"
Zhou Yan frowned and pondered.
He had learned some information from ancient texts.
There were numerous types of aliens, but they could generally be divided into four major races—the Demon Race, the Beast Race, the Barbarian Race, and the Human Race.
However, based on the information he had, this black alien seemed even more formidable than the Demon Race.
"Regardless, I'll accept it for now."
After a moment's hesitation, Zhou Yan decided to accept the contract. With a "swish," Zhou Yan tore the contract.
Instantly, the contract turned into dust and merged into Zhou Yan's body.
In a flash, Zhou Yan felt his body become more resilient, his bones more solid, and his muscles imbued with explosive power.
"Rumble~"
A sound like thunder echoed as Yuan Qi surged relentlessly within Zhou Yan.
He had reached the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, on the verge of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm.
"Huh?"
"Why has the Yuan Qi in my body surged so much?"
Zhou Yan felt his entire body filled with surging power.
It was as if he could shatter space with a single punch.
"Kid, congratulations!"
"You have now reached the peak of the ninth level of Qi Refining, just one step away from advancing to Foundation Establishment!"
"However, I advise you not to be too impatient and to consolidate your cultivation slowly."
Deep within his sea of consciousness, a clear and childish voice sounded indifferently.
"Who is it?"
Zhou Yan was startled.
"I am your guardian, and also your servant."
"You have a special physique that requires abundant pure Yuan Qi to nourish. Therefore, I nourish your physical body with spiritual energy daily, assisting you in condensing a Golden Core."