Leyvi was aware that Anda had raised her standards for her next "victims," but wasn't this too delusional? Protector Alexandra wasn't just some random lady—she was the greatest cultivation genius in Cloud Continent history, the youngest Protector. Leyvi wondered if Mr. Bison's delusional virus had somehow infected Anda.
Shaking his head, Leyvi pushed Anda's delusion to the back of his mind and focused on Protector Alexandra again. Why was he able to see her when others couldn't?
Wait—not everyone was unable to see her. Leyvi noticed that Magnus Goldstone, Vitali Clover, Tordin Homun, Elder Godari, Elder Arjun, and President Albert, all standing near him, were staring straight at where she stood. That meant they could see her too.
Could it be that only Nascent Soul Realm cultivators and above can see her? Leyvi confirmed his conjecture moments later, observing that all Core Formation Realm cultivators seemed oblivious to her presence. But that raised another question: why was he, a Core Formation Realm cultivator, the only one who could see her?
Leyvi suddenly recalled a similar situation from the past. During the Alchemy Competition, he had suddenly been able to see Caterina after hearing her voice, even though others—and even he himself—had been unable to see her before.
Could it be that hearing their voices enables me to see them? That seemed like the most plausible explanation based on the two situations. If his assumption was true, it led to another question: why could he do this? It wasn't just his eyesight—his spiritual sense hadn't detected her at all before she spoke.
The ethereal voice continued, drawing Leyvi's attention back to Protector Alexandra.
"Ten years ago, after we were informed that a portal to the Mystic Realm appeared near here, I was tasked with preparing and overseeing everything related to the Mystic Realm by those lazy, not-so-wonderful old geezers—ah, pardon my language—I mean, by my fellow wonderful veteran Protectors."
The crowd was dumbfounded. Her tone was polite, but her words made it clear she wasn't thrilled about being assigned this responsibility. The contrast between her elegant voice and her candid complaint left everyone both amused and slightly bewildered.
"Since its first appearance, experts have investigated this portal's energy readings and extrapolated data based on portals to previous Mystic Realms. I know you have heard the rumors about the Mystic Realm being related to the Ancient Civilization but those were just speculations. We couldn't confirm it entirely. They also determined that the portal can only allow cultivators below the Nascent Soul Realm to pass through. If a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator attempts to enter, the portal will collapse," Protector Alexandra explained, her voice calm and measured.
"In the past few years, there have been a few not wonderful people who tried to enter the portal before it fully formed, attempting to ruin things for everyone."
The crowd erupted in outrage. "What? Who are those fuckers? Protector Alexandra, tell us who those idiots are! Let us beat them to death!"
Protector Alexandra's voice remained serene, though her words carried a subtle edge. "Calm down, wonderful people, and please watch your language. Vulgar words are unnecessary. As for those not wonderful individuals, you don't need to worry. The security around the portal is very tight, and their attempts failed miserably. We've already dealt with them properly."
The crowd settled, though murmurs of frustration still lingered.
"Now, I've talked about the cultivation realm restriction... what else... ah, yes. As you wonderful people might or might not know, the number of Mystic Realm spots I allocated across the continent totals 7,200."
The crowd glanced around, as if trying to confirm the number. Some whispered among themselves, wondering why the spots were limited to 7,200 people.
As if anticipating their questions, Protector Alexandra continued, "Every time a person passes through the Mystic Realm portal, a fixed amount of its accumulated energy is consumed. Experts calculated everything and determined that approximately 7,200 people can pass through while the rest would be used to maintain the connection between the two places. That's the reason behind my decision."
Leyvi nodded. The explanation made sense, but then a thought struck him. What about my spirit beasts? Would they be counted separately?
"Ah, right. I almost forgot," Protector Alexandra said, as if reading his mind. "I remembered after sensing many beast tamers feeling agitated. You wonderful people don't have to worry about your spirit beasts. They already carry your spiritual imprint, so all you need to do is envelop them with your Qi when you enter the portal. The portal will consider you and your spirit beasts as a single entity. I heard they wasted many spots in the past because they didn't know this simple trick. Definitely not wonderful people," she added, shaking her head in mild disapproval.
"Regarding your return, the portal will remain in the same place. However, just as it takes time to charge its energy and stabilize itself here, the same will happen on the other side. We've taught a few wonderful people who are entering the Mystic Realm how to calculate the energy readings and stabilize the portal. Before you begin exploring, wait for them to estimate when the portal will be fully charged and stabilized again. This way, you'll know when to return."
"They will try to stabilize the portal from that side to let you explore the Mystic Realm as long as possible but the final time limit still exists. It is when the void tunnel completely shifted causing the two places to be no longer connected. Experts estimated the complete shift to happen ten years from now. So whatever you wonderful people do, make sure to return before then or you might have to spend your life forever there. To the wonderful young experts I mentioned, please come up here so I can introduce you."
Three figures immediately flew up and lined up beside the envoys: two young men and a young woman, all wearing matching emblems on their outfits.
"Alright, let me introduce these wonderful youngsters," Protector Alexandra said. "The one with red hair is Sham, the one with black hair is Barcas, and the elegant young lady is Barbara. By the way, Barcas and Barbara are fraternal twins. The three of them come from the Institute of Universal Energies. They study all kinds of energy that exist in our world. I'm sure that whatever unusual energy you've ever encountered in the past, they've already studied it."
The Institute of Universal Energies was a renowned organization dedicated to understanding the fundamental nature of energy. Their groundbreaking research had revealed that energy could change forms, transforming from one state to another under specific conditions. This discovery was revolutionary, as it explained the very essence of cultivation. Cultivators, in their pursuit of strength and longevity, were essentially refining and elevating their Qi into greater forms of energy. The institute's work had not only deepened the understanding of cultivation but also paved the way for new techniques and breakthroughs in various fields.
Leyvi nodded in understanding. The reason he knew about Yin-Yang energy when he and Anda accidentally discovered it in the past was because of a book about energy that Anda had once bought. That book was likely written by someone from their institute.
"I hope everyone can hold back their overwhelming desire to seek treasures and wait for them to finish calculating the portal's energy first. This way, you'll know additional information that we couldn't investigate from here," Protector Alexandra said.
The crowd nodded in agreement, showing their understanding and appreciation for the guidance.
"Very good. Such wonderful people," Protector Alexandra said, her voice warm yet firm. "Before I end my speech, I want to share my wish for all the Mystic Realm participants. I wish that you refrain from killing each other in the Mystic Realm. If you have disagreements, please resolve them without resorting to murder. The Mystic Realm is vast. Mind your own business, and don't be a busybody."
Hearing that phrase, Leyvi and Anda looked at each other and chuckled.
"You hear that, Anda? Even a Protector is using my motto," Leyvi sent via sound transmission, his face smug.
"Good! Now I'm even more sure she has fate with you. Leave it to me, husband. I'll bring her to your bed," Anda replied with a mischievous smile.
Leyvi was dumbfounded. His smugness vanished. This crazy panda—she's really targeting her! That's a Protector!
Meanwhile, Protector Alexandra continued her speech. "Find your own opportunities instead of targeting others. You might get away with it a few times, but eventually, you'll pick the wrong target and pay for your deeds. Alright, that's all from me. Envoy Lemure, I leave the rest to you." With that, her ethereal voice faded away.
Leyvi noticed that Protector Alexandra had moved slightly further from the crowd but remained in the air, silently observing. Watching her, Leyvi couldn't help but wonder how strong a Soul Transformation Realm cultivator truly was. After all, she was at the level of the strongest in the continent!
Suddenly, her head turned slightly, and her sharp gaze met Leyvi's, startling him. He realized he was probably the only one still looking at her, so he quickly turned his gaze away, focusing on the envoys instead.
Up in the air, Protector Alexandra's lips, hidden by her veil, curled into a faint smile. "What a wonderful person. A Core Formation youngster can see through my obscuring technique. He didn't seem to use an ocular technique like that geezer Gandolf. How did he see me?"
The obscuring technique she used was a common method employed by high-level cultivators to avoid unnecessary attention. It typically worked on those below the Nascent Soul Realm, as they couldn't detect soul fluctuations. To hide from Nascent Soul cultivators and above, an advanced obscuring technique that could conceal soul fluctuations was required.
"Oh well, his ability is a bit interesting, but his cultivation speed is too slow," Protector Alexandra mused, her curiosity satisfied for the moment. She shifted her attention back to scanning the crowd.
"Alright," Envoy Lemure announced, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "I hope you've all listened to Protector Alexandra's advice. I don't want to waste any more time, so get ready! We're departing for the Mystic Realm portal right now! I'll lead the way!" With that, he turned and flew toward the city's west gate, the crowd following eagerly behind.