Chapter 52: Chapter 51: Scorching Hunting Bee

Once everyone had gathered, they headed towards the Secret Realm Plaza, which was open 24 hours.

However, most people still preferred to go to the Secret Realm in the morning, as it was generally more dangerous at night.

It resembled the entrance of a high-speed train station, with a ticket checker standing at the door.

You had to scan your facial features and ID card in front of a machine.

Once your identity was confirmed, the machine beeped, and the barrier opened.

“Remaining chances for this year: 1, already used.”

The machine’s emotionless voice rang out.

Next to them, a staff member wearing a hat was about to hand a map to Chen Xing from a table behind him when Kuang Shiyi spoke up, “No need to trouble yourself, we brought our own map.”

The staff member retracted the map and skillfully operated the machine, “Okay, next person.”

Several of them entered the Secret Realm in succession, and the moment they passed through, there was a strange feeling around them.

It was as if… the whole person had passed through a thin film, and the air around seemed fresher.

As far as the eye could see, there was a long street surrounded by a cluster of buildings, and in the distance, you could see heavily armed soldiers patrolling with Beast Tamers.

They were at a high point of the Secret Realm. From here, they could overlook an ancient city at the foot of a hill outside the city walls, the sky was clear blue, and the muddy yellow city below seemed to be coated in a layer of mud.

Waters from past floods had turned this city into Ze City, with waterlogged patches everywhere, and the massive, mottled city walls bore the marks of time.

Reeds swayed, and three floating bridges extended from the foot of the mountain to the city gate, with railings on either side. Judging by their condition, these bridges seemed to have been built later.

In the distance, some Beast Tamers could be seen searching through the reeds outside the city with their beasts.

Yet, more Beast Tamers were leading their beasts into the large city in front. Since entering the Secret Realm, Chen Xing noticed that others almost always had their beasts by their side, much like hunters on a mountain always accompanied by hunting dogs.

“Make sure to hold onto the map,” Coach Kuang handed a map into Chen Xing’s arms as he walked up from behind.

Chen Xing instinctively accepted the map, which was very new with the scent of fresh ink. The front bore a detailed overhead view of Ze City, while the back listed all the possible Beast Tamers that could appear in the Secret Realm.

N18 Red Silk Fish, N19 Star-Mottled Loach, N19 Earth Doll, N20 Thorn Crown Fish, N20 Giant Belly Prawn, N24 White Woolly Flower Spider, N31 Dance Sickle Ghost Crab, N35 Green King Conch.

“The annual free entry to the Secret Realm is shared among all Secret Realms in the country, which means if you enter Ze City Secret Realm for free, you can’t enter any other Secret Realm for free. Because this Secret Realm has been developed for many years and the monsters have a low Energy Level with limited resources, it is mostly newcomers or those marking time that come here. Seasoned Beast Tamers don’t come to this place,” Coach Kuang gathered the students and repeatedly cautioned them.

“Yet——even so, the number of deaths in Ze City Secret Realm each year exceeds one thousand! This place is not an amusement park, not a backyard; you all need to be prepared mentally.”

Kuang Shiyi asked, “Wen Jin, how familiar are you with the Defensive Secret Technique?”

Coughing into his hand a few times, Wen Jin raised his right hand, a faint luminescence covering his body like a layer of armor. “Coach, I’ve gotten the hang of it!”

Chen Xing poked at Wen Jin’s armor with his hand, as if poking a stone. Was this the Defensive Secret Technique that only an Intermediate Beast Tamer could master?

Before becoming a Intermediate Beast Tamer, a Beast Tamer’s own body was their greatest vulnerability, but once they became an Intermediate Beast Tamer, their means of self-preservation greatly enhanced.

“Yes, using the Defensive Secret Technique consumes the Magic Power of your beast, so try to use it sparingly,” Kuang Shiyi was very satisfied with Wen Jin’s learning speed.

Just one week to master the Defensive Secret Technique so proficiently showed that Wen Jin was very adaptable.

Then, Coach Kuang asked everyone to summon their beasts to get accustomed to the environment.

Upon being summoned, Taotie found the environment unfamiliar. Initially wary, it sniffed around and relaxed slightly upon detecting its master’s familiar scent. Suddenly, it lifted its head as if it sensed something and gazed towards the direction of the foot of the hill.

An inexplicable scent lingered, familiar yet utterly strange, a call that originated from the depths of their bloodline, urging Taotie to scrape the ground with its claws.

Chen Xing sensed Taotie’s excitement and crouched down to soothe its massive head.

“Do you sense the vast swamp below?”

The flood had receded, but due to the low elevation of the city, the passing waters left plenty behind. Over the years, this city was transformed into a marshland, creating a unique geography where swamp and city intertwined.

Kuang Shiyi snapped his fingers, and the summoning circle lit up, gradually revealing a giant figure with two pairs of wings.

This was the first time Chen Xing encountered Kuang’s summoned beast: a slow-flying, reddish-brown giant bee, with dark red wavy patterns on its body and a chillingly bright stinger growing from its tail.

[Species]Scorching Hunter Bee

[State]Healthy (Fatigued)

[Energy Level]58

[Energy Level Limit]58

[Attribute]Fire

[Body Length]2.1 meters

[Weight]66kg

[Skills]

Primary Skills: Hunting Scent (Perfect), High-Speed Flight (Perfect), Fiery Circle (Mastered), Deadly Sniper (Perfect)

Intermediate Skills: Crossflame Charge (Perfect), Great Fire Blaster (Mastered), Flame Wave Clone (Mastered), Magma Armor (Mastered)

Advanced Skills: Starfall (Mastered), Death Explosion (Acquired)

After Kuang summoned his beast, the bald man also summoned his beast; coincidentally, both their beasts were of the same species, the 58 Energy Level Scorching Hunter Bee! Even the skills they possessed were very similar, although Kuang’s bee had a relatively higher mastery of its skills.

Sensing Chen Xing’s gaze, the bee circling overhead slowly descended.

A giant insect, larger than a human, approached him, and Chen Xing’s body tensed up, his hair standing on end.

Especially since this Scorching Hunter Bee possessed the power to tear an adult apart instantly, not to mention its various extraordinary skills.

“Arrgh!”

Taotie sensed its master’s emotions, took a step forward, and glared at the bee hovering above.

The Scorching Hunter Bee ignored the angered little crocodile below and slowly flew past in front of Chen Xing.

Agitated, Taotie leapt up, jumping ten centimeters while crying out, “Arrgh!”

After passing Chen Xing, the Scorching Hunter Bee landed in front of Zhou Hao; Zhou’s Salty Bay Crocodile sensed the bee’s approach, quickly curled its tail, and hid behind its master.

With a gentle flick of its claw, the Scorching Hunter Bee snagged a plastic bag on the side of Zhou’s backpack, skillfully opened it, and started munching on the buns inside.

These were the brown sugar buns Zhou had left over from breakfast, which he had idly placed in the side pocket of his backpack.

Kuang called out and took the lead down the mountain while the bee, holding the bun, flew to the front of the group; his voice carried from afar, “Let’s go, I’ll first introduce you to wild creatures. Untrained, they’re monsters; trained, they’re beasts. The creatures in Ze City Secret Realm are relatively mild, none that kill for pleasure. If they attack you, it’s generally because you’ve invaded their territory or they feel threatened.”

The bald man walking at the back of the group chuckled and added, “Or possibly because they’re hungry.”

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