Arriving at the Myriad Monarch Sect and witnessing the Quintuple Extreme Imperial Mountains in all its grand and awe-inspiring glory was like truly entering an entirely new world.
However, the cruelty and reality of this new world was quick to set in for the new arrivals, including Wen Mingna. The hierarchical rules of Power of Authority situated in ranks and power was truly unsettling to the unaccustomed. While one could seek protection, secure resources, and establish something of themselves easier with these rules, it was easy to lose everything with a single wrong choice.
Whether that be joining a faction or deciding which of the three Extreme Mountains one would join.
For example, the Extreme Creation Mountain was highly competitive, time-consuming, and a lack of innate talent could lead to many years wasted. These years wasted training in a profession was not spent cultivating, so one's lifespan and potential would be severely hindered.
The Extreme War and Origin Mountain were relatively active mountains that often ventured out and struggled for resources against each other and everyone else, both inside the sect and outside. In these mountains, combat prowess and cultivation was king, and without sufficient strength, you're bound to be relegated to an 'ordinary' life.
However, ordinary was quite subjective. After all, the Myriad Monarch Sect was one of the top five hegemonic powers of the starfield, and all their official disciples were Astral Core Realm experts, filling in the five million number. They held considerable strength and prestige.
When Wen Mingna learned that there were tens of trillions of individuals spread across multiple planets and continental flat earths, yet only five million Astral Core Realm was totaled within that number, she nearly vomited.
She wasn't the only one. Amongst the youths, they all were shocked into gaped mouths and bulging eyes. The Myriad Yore Continent had less than ten Astral Core Realm experts within, but they didn't think it would be just as rare in this new world.
Furthermore, they learned that the title 'Mortal Gods' were truly simply a joke within the eyes of true experts. A single Astral Core Realm could dominate millions of 'Mortal Gods' with utter ease. The difference was like comparing the dirt to the clouds.
Furthermore, only factions with Astral Core Realm could establish themselves and dominate a region of the planet. All those beneath this realm were often under the thumb of these experts, and they could only serve as subordinates.
Wen Mingna and the others were soon exposed to the sect's various rules and statuses, and were even given the option to immediately join a faction. Wen Mingna didn't dare to take that choice carelessly, and this was true for the majority of those present. Dai Qui, their ride, simply smiled and told them all that it would be best to make a decision soon.
A faction was more than just protection but an avenue to obtain cultivation resources. While one could use the ambient resources to cultivate, they would never be able to reach the 4th Mortal State before their lifespan ran out, regardless of how incredible their absorption and refining talent towards essence was.
They needed alchemical products, materials of heaven and earth that were compatible with their cultivation technique to expedite their cultivation, and an area that they could carve out comfortably.
"If you desire to reach the Astral Core Realm in your lifetime, and enter the ranks of true experts that could dominate a piece of the sky, then you should join a faction as soon as possible." Was all Dai Qui said before telling several others that he could give them a 'further' tour.
Several individuals accepted, while only Wen Mingna and Long Chen's group refrained. They decided to explore on their own and register within a mountain suitable for them. When she stood out like this, Wu Baozhai gazed at Wen Mingna curiously.
While she understood Long Chen's choice, as he was a Nascent Dust Disciple, Wen Mingna was a mere Null Disciple and wouldn't be able to choose a mountain per se. Wherever she was, she would be an honorary disciple. Furthermore, she had to earn sufficient Imperial Merits to stay. It would be best if she followed Dai Qui and sought out opportunities.
Wu Baozhai found her decision odd, but she didn't question it nor her. Everyone had their own thoughts, and Wen Mingna was a princess just like herself, and she didn't seem to lack intelligence or confidence in herself.
Wen Mingna watched Dai Qui lead the others away, and her eyes flashed with various thoughts. After ruminating on the matter, her eyes focused on a specific mountain and decided to venture there to work. With this goal in mind, she left.
Long Chen's eyes were drawn away as she looked towards Wen Mingna's back. "Her figure's changed, no? She seems more manly."
Lian Yu answered, without looking towards Wen Mingna, "It's her choice."
Long Chen shrugged. They traveled for a while before a young man arrived and saw their group of beauties. Realizing that all of them were Null Disciples, his eyes lit up as a nefarious thought entered his mind. With that, he approached the group with a cool smile.
"Hey!"
This was the start of their troubles.
—–
Three months later.
"Hurry up and deliver this! You better not be slow this time, or else! Hmph!" A voice filled with impatience and anger resounded. It was all targeted towards a middle-aged woman garbed in the Null Disciple attire. She nodded profusely before the yeller and left with a relatively large metal box in tow. With a dash, she left the building. Outside, she rode a hawk with a wingspan of ten meters, and far smaller than Dai Qui's. It seemed capable of only carrying a few people.
The one who shouted was a short middle-aged human male with a Nascent Dust Disciple, and a cultivation base at the Ninth Stage of the Qi Condensation. In the Myriad Yore Continent, this man could be considered a powerhouse that could dominate tens of millions, but in the Myriad Monarch Planet, he was merely a delivery manager.
He ran a business for human-delivered packages that supplied the first to third levels of the Extreme Imperial Mountain.
Wen Mingna was efficiently cleaning the nearby area, sweeping the dust with a broom that lit with various formations. These formations used water, fire, and wind energies and cleansing liquids to swiftly wet, dry, and clean areas.
She was fully exposing her scarred face, and carried on with her day. The manager glanced her way and humphed before leaving into the backroom. As she swept, she heard faint pounding of flesh and heavy moans, but thoroughly ignored this as she continued about her day.
After arriving, she took various temporary jobs in the Extreme Imperial Mountain. While most would choose to pick one of the three main mountains to settle themselves, it seemed like the location with all sorts of complex relations and likelihood of abuses of power. Therefore, to avoid being a victim, she surrounded herself with those who held power yet cared about their reputation.
Astral Core Realm Elders.
She has cleaned buildings, delivered packages, helped feed and care for beasts, and provided her energies to help support some basic formations. In return, she avoided joining a faction and enjoyed a quiet life. Furthermore, with her disfigured face, unappealing body and quiet temperament, she was often pitied and left to her own devices. She could gather Imperial Merits in the easiest manner without disturbance.
After she finished her shift, she left the delivery service and returned to her own residence. While it was small, it held an essence concentration formation. She cultivated diligently in her free time, and saved up her Imperial Merits for alchemical products that could rapidly promote her cultivation base.
It was fortunate that alchemical products at the fifth and sixth-grade were rather common in this world, and she had already procured a few dozen cultivation pills at the fifth-grade that cut several months off her training. While the Myriad Yore Continent had alchemical products at the fifth-grade, even she, as a Princess, had to go to great lengths to compete for it, and these were merely low-tier and low-quality.
However, here, they were abundant and the main sources of income for many alchemists in the starfield.
'Heavenly King Wei…' Recently, the name Wei Wuyin was widespread, especially after his abrupt status jump, killing a Second Stage of the Astral Core Realm while at the Qi Condensation Realm, quite brutally in fact, and annihilated a faction with a few words. He displayed a level of dominance that she didn't think was possible after just a few days of arriving.
Furthermore, he was an alchemist too. Back in the Myriad Yore Continent, she hadn't understood the importance of sixth-grade and seventh-grade products in this new world. When she saw him casually give away these products, she believed that this new sect likely had more experienced and talented alchemists, but she was severely wrong.
While there were King Alchemists, obtaining a seventh-grade product was a struggle that many Astral Core Realm experts struggled to obtain. 'I wonder if I had talked to him that time, could things be different? No, I can't think like that. Step by step, breath by breath, and I'll reach my goal without failure.'
The concept and well known saying of the Myriad Yore Continent: To rise to the skies, one can ride the lap of a dragon. It meant to use a man or woman, someone of exceptional status and talent—the dragon, to rise. It was the basis of Imperial harems and standard ones, and this method was employed mostly by women.
However, this might seem exceptionally satisfying at the beginning, but soon one would be too high and at the mercy of the dragon. They would share its fate and its limits. They would also be relegated to never dissatisfy the dragon, or else it could send you off and allow you to fall.
She would rather form a Dao Companionship with someone of equal talent than to be someone who sought gains in such a fashion.
"Did you hear? Mortal Common Ji Yu was challenged by a Nascent Dust Disciple! It's a battle to the death!" These words spurred the immediate crowd, and even Wen Mingna was startled.
"Really? You're lying; who would be so stupid?"
"I don't know, but his name is Long…Long something. My friend is there about to watch the fight, shall we go too?"
"Of course! If we're late, we might miss this massacre. How boring would that be?"
"Who knows, this Nascent Dust Disciple might be another Wei Wuyin."
"Pfft, please. Let's go and stop spouting crap!"
The discussion in the background was quite interesting, but in the end, Wen Mingna continued on her way. What she needed was not to lose herself in the drama and situations of the world, but fight for each second and opportunity she had.
She had work to do.
