In front of Xar's eyes three roads of three distinctive colors appeared.
Each road pointed to three specific quests pinned on the quest board. Two D-rank quests and one E-rank quest. The colors he saw were white, gray and black. He usually called it Dazzling White, Cloudy Gray and Pitch Black which was parallel to what each road represented.
D-rank Quest: Exterminate the Hobgoblin tribe that has appeared near the Winding Ridge of Yvolit City.
This one had a Dazzling White road pointed to it. Usually it means that if he chose this road then something beneficial to him will happen. This is also the most frequent road he takes whenever Road of Fate appears.
D-rank Quest: Investigate the source of screeching sounds of unknown monsters in the forest near Vorqin City.
This one, however, had a Pitch Black road pointed to it. Obviously, it meant something ominous. This is also the reason why Xar has been able to avoid disasters till now. He always avoided this road. His unparalleled talent is the source of envy and jealousy of many clansmen who are in the know.
Who knows what type of actions they will take so that's why Xar has kept his activity within a certain range while devoting his time and efforts in practice wholeheartedly.
That being said, there's actually something here in this secret realm that could still cause a disaster for him despite the amount of backhands and trump cards he possessed! This makes it quite concerning. Sure enough, a secret realm that could elude a Saint is anything but a safe training space.
E-rank Quest: Clear the monster Swaying Water Lilies that has appeared in the pond of Governor Chester's vacation villa in Ziviria Capital City.
The Cloudy Gray road points to this quest. This road usually meant that whether the final result will be of harm or of benefit depended on his subsequent decisions in important nodes of events. Xar tries not to take this road but sometimes, however, he is forced to take it as the other alternative tends to be Pitch Black road.
There is actually another road that rarely appears in front of him, Radiant Gold. This road is higher than Dazzling White as the final result from taking this road has always been immensely beneficial for him.
This road first appeared when he was about to choose his evolution path and the last time was when he was at the critical moment of trying to breakthrough the Grandmaster Realm.
Without further ado, Xar grabbed the D-rank quest regarding the extermination of the Hobgoblin tribe and said to the other four behind him,
"I am curious to see how everyone performs in combat. So, how about this one?"
The four looked at the details of this quest and nodded to show their willingness. To be truthful, they were also curious how others performed. It has only been a day since they arrived in the secret realm and the five of them hardly know each other.
As people from Five Founding Families harmony and cooperation has been the family motto from one generation to another.
"Alright, let's get the quest permit from the front desk and be on our way."
Wuryan watched as Xar led them to board a train to Yvolit City.
He couldn't help but frown after he summoned the panel.
Point: 0
Main Technique:
•Human Evolution Codex (Mastery) [+]
Chosen Path:
•Five Elements (Level 4 Initial Stage) [+]
Task: 2
•(New!) Collect the loincloth of Hobgoblin Tribe Leader and his new concubine's worn bra. (2 point)
•(New!) Go to the rooftop of the Hobgoblin tribe's shaman's hut and assert dominance with a manly roar. (1 point)
Wuryan's mouth twitched as he read the new tasks issued by this panel. He couldn't help but fight back a creeping headache.
Ever since he came to this world this panel appeared in front of him.
He was just a freshman in college in his past life on Earth. A bona fide otaku, this was what his few friends would call him. But who would have thought that he had a terminal disease and was destined to die young?
Fortunately, he reincarnated in the Sol Family of Pangaea Empire, an aristocratic family higher than all other humans and only equal to four other families. He thought his life as a young master of a rich and powerful family was about to begin but who knew that the competition within the family was so harsh.
Anyone who was slightly inferior in talent was marginalized to the hinterlands of this interstellar empire. The security of such places is nothing more to say. There are aliens infiltrating and there are rebels who are eager to overthrow the Five Founding Families' rule over the human race.
Their key targets would undoubtedly be those marginalized clansmen.
Panicked, Wuryan could only hope for a miracle that he would suddenly become a top prodigy blessed with strong talent and comprehension. But here's the catch! He himself is well aware what kind of trash talent he possessed as his soul was still the one from Earth which always had mediocre exam grades. It somehow safely travelled through Cosmic Sea's universe and completed the reincarnation.
But there was no qualitative change brought by this!
When he was five years old and began his evolution journey by perceiving Cosmium, which is the ubiquitous energy present in the universe, the panel appeared in front of him. Wuryan was overjoyed. He thought it must be the plug-in every protagonist possessed. Was it a system or an epic treasure!?
But, the more he explored this panel the more complicated he felt. Isn't this just trying to turn me into a weirdo? The first thought he had after seeing the very first task issued by the panel.
Anyways, he still gritted his teeth and completed those "tasks". One thing was certain though. This panel was very effective in pushing a waste wood like him to the level of an extraordinary prodigy of Sol Family albeit the one with the most dark history.
Wuryan came to this secret realm after being notified by the Saint of Sol Family. He wondered why the Saint himself actually took the initiative to arrange this training schedule for him.
Was it that important?
After all, it was the first time he met Saint Ferdinand so he didn't ask too many questions and obediently followed his arrangements.
He did met the contemporary geniuses and evildoers of other four families. Sure enough, even with a plug-in like this panel he couldn't overshadow the true geniuses. Especially that Xar and Ryonen. Hey, what can you say? Just be happy with what you have instead of being overambitious.
"Forget it, forget it. It's just humiliation anyway! When I become a Saint in the future, who would dare to point their fingers at me? Taking some cloth from a defeated opponent and roaring after a victory… Isn't that it!? What can't a man do for strength!? Others might not get any results from their efforts but I am guaranteed to get the results so no need to feel so hesitant about it!!"
Wuryan cheered up as he kept hypnotizing himself.
The train was fast and soon it arrived at the station of Yvolit City. Xar and his party went to the branch of Adventurers Guild in Yvolit City to show the permit of this quest. After getting the matter done, they headed to Winding Ridge as mentioned in the quest.
Irilea couldn't help but be surprised as she felt some movement in her consciousness.
Inside the illusory space of her mind is a small tree. This tree was made of golden light and its trunk, leaves and branches were similarly so. Its roots were firmly rooted in her soul and now its leaves were shaking as if brushed by a gentle wind.
"No way, is there a treasure in this Winding Ridge!?"
She thought as she kept a calm facade outside. This golden tree has been with her since she could remember. It is always able to detect treasures or precious things nearby. Not only that but it can also influence her to head towards places of great fortune.
When Xar of Umbra Family had shown her the D-rank quest she keenly sensed that the golden tree was influencing her to agree to it. This didn't make her feel terrified or anything as she has been with this tree since her infancy.
To her it was similar to the relationship of symbiosis seen in nature.
After growing up and reading many books and documents she still hasn't been able to find this tree's origin. Of course she never told anyone about it. However, she is absolutely sure that its background must be very profound for being able to find treasures and such so easily.
"This secret realm of Azure Planet was also found by it. Hmm, there must be great secrets hidden in this realm. A world where a certain video game suddenly became part of reality. Such an absurd incident and not to mention Saint Velveeta said that it shields from Saint Realm's perception. No doubt there's something fishy going on here. Hehe, wait till I dig it out."
Irilea was very intrigued by this chain of events. Her curiosity has been piqued and she can't rest easy without getting to the truth of it.
Xar finally saw the outline of a tribal settlement in the distance. There were watchtowers and sentries as well as few domesticated wolf monsters patrolling the periphery.
He began to think of a combat plan to complete the quest with highest efficiency.
Ryonen looked at the distance with a raised eyebrow of eagerness. He has been very patient throughout this secret realm. One reason is that Saint Luskey was present earlier and another is that Saint Amber cautioned him previously to not to be impulsive in front of the prodigies of the other four families.
In his opinion, she is overly worried.
Without seeing the duel prompt that a new challenger has appeared in his vicinity he wouldn't go out of his way to fight with someone. No way, he doesn't have so much energy to fight with every cat and dog he bumps into!
Now that he finally saw the Hobgoblin tribe in the distance the long awaited duel prompt appeared in his eyes.
Ryonen excitedly checked the prompt and saw the dueling conditions and rewards.
[New Challenger: Hobgoblin Tribe]
[All out brawl! Fight till the last man standing!!]
[Attack speed +1, Weakness perception +1]
"Hahaha, you guys sit back! Just watch me pummel them to death!"
Ryonen rushed forward after saying that. He didn't wait for their response. In his opinion those Hobgoblins were nothing but an exp bag waiting for him to harvest. It would be a great pity if he couldn't enjoy his first battle in Azure Planet.
Speaking of this duel prompt, he first saw it popping up in front of him at the arena of Zenith Family's annual competition for Level 1 evolver. From then on whenever this duel prompt came up he would challenge the other party and fight regardless of the occasion.
He discovered from much earlier that if he delays the duel for more than a minute after the prompt has already appeared then even if he won the duel there would be no rewards from it.
So, the more he fights the better he gets!
With the rewards from winning the duel his somewhat dull talent in comprehension was made up and he got to do what he was best at while enjoying the family's careful nurturing. Of course, he never mentioned this duel prompt to anyone else.
Xar was stunned from his sudden outburst.
He thought for a moment and decided to quietly watch how this guy fights. Anyways, one of the reasons to accept this quest was to see how those four perform in combat. Even with the realm suppression one can see the quality of an evolver from a simple combat.
The Cosmic Sea is a ruthless place where strong eats the weak and might make right! Those in higher realms will always have strong combat capability. This is a must in this universe otherwise they could only wait for annihilation when a cosmic war breaks out.
Esmeria watched Ryonen rushing forward with a nostalgic look.
Her eyes couldn't help but secretly take glances of Xar. She dare not stare at his back as he would notice her gaze and become vigilant.
She knows that Xar is actually in the Grandmaster Realm and has been told to hide his strength by the Five Saints. If she remembers right,
"He would find a good opportunity in this Hobgoblins settlement and Irilea also found something good."
Yes, she is living her second life. No, she didn't travel back in time but rather observed in completion what her future self would go through from a bystander's perspective.
This incredible ability was brought about when she contracted the Origin Faery's remnant soul as her natal beast companion. She was born with the Exquisite Hundred Beasts Heart, one of the top ten physiques in Cosmic Sea.
Anyone with any of those ten physiques would undoubtedly become a Saint Realm strongman as long as they don't die prematurely. It could be said that there is no bottleneck in the realm and breaking through is as easy as drinking water and breathing air.
Esmeria, the granddaughter of Saint Rudolph and the heiress of Asterisk Family, she was born with such a physique along with such background so one could only imagine her future potential. Of course, the matter of this physique is also kept private from others except a few in the family and the Saints.
When she started her evolution journey she suddenly found that her Beast Nurturing Space inside the heart has an occupant in it who appeared out of thin air. The newcomer introduced itself as the remnant soul of Origin Faery, the source of all Faebeast.
She was frightened at that time and would have made a scene if not for the fact that Origin Faery used its power to drag her mind in the Beast Nurturing Space for the conversation since the very beginning. There, she understood that Origin Faery who was thought to be a myth was actually a real entity.
And it had fallen to the point that only a remnant soul is left!
She then contracted it as her natal beast companion so that with her growth in evolution the Origin Faery could also recover its power slowly. Naturally, the matter about this mythical creature was kept a secret and even Saint Rudolph is kept in the dark.
Those who are aware of her physique only know that her natal beast companion was a Phoenix chick that she hatched from an egg she bought on a "whim". Obviously, it was Origin Faery pretending to create an alibi for its existence. Even the form of Phoenix is nothing but its deception which even her grandfather can't see through.
She had pestered it to tell why it was reduced to such a state but unfortunately it was very tight lipped and only replied that she was too weak right now thus unable to bear such knowledge. Wait till you reach Saint Realm!
Talking about seeing her future, after she contracted it, the Origin Faery told her that she could see her future self from her present's perspective. Esmeria immediately wanted to see it but it refused to show her.
It told her that the day before she went to a certain secret realm would be the time for her to see her future self.
That secret realm turned out to be this Azure Planet!
So, Esmeria watched from her future self's perspective all of the events she would experience without Origin Faery's intervention till the Fifth Big Rip finally happened resulting in River of Time becoming chaotic thus cutting off the connection with present and future.
This experience undoubtedly made her feel as if she had lived an entire lifetime and the present timeline was her second life. Of course, this is just her self-delusion for still hasn't been able to adapt to such a vast amount of information.
Give her a few months and she should be able to adjust her mindset.
That being said, she couldn't help but blush a little when she remembers certain future scenes while taking sneaky glances of Xar, "So I married this guy… well, he was indeed very responsible man so I don't have any objection but he is sure ambitious! What do you mean by asking me to give you a hundred child!! I am not a baby making machine, damn it!"
She stomped her foot and looked away from him in anger and affection.
"Hmm?"
Xar looked back in puzzlement as he heard someone stomping their foot. Wuryan and Irilea also looked at her strangely. What's with stomping your foot out of nowhere?
The three thought at the same time.