C12 Lunar Crest Keep

The woman who introduced herself as Faang Yi fluttered her eyelashes and offered, "I wonder if the young master might have the time to visit Lunar Crest Keep. We offer complimentary drinks."

"What in the world is Lunar Crest Keep? Sounds like a den of iniquity. Ling Han, you'd better watch out and not let some seductress steal your innocence," Zhou cautioned.

"Zhou's aware of such matters?" Ling Han mused. "This is indeed a vast improvement over my previous, lackluster system. It has a touch of human warmth."

Nevertheless, the message Ling Han conveyed to Zhou was reassuring: "Don't worry, Zhou. I'm new to the secular world and still catching up on a lot of information. This visit could be a good opportunity to gather some intelligence."

Though Ling Han was a newcomer, he understood that the world was divided by power dynamics, and knowing which forces to avoid and which to ally with was crucial information.

"Indeed, you should proceed with caution. This lady may have hidden her true level, but I can see that she's attained the eighth level of Awakening," Zhou advised. "You wouldn't be able to discern that with your current skills. Once you reach the astral force state, I'll teach you how to see through such deceptions."

"Understood!" Ling Han nodded, trusting that the technique Zhou would teach him would be well-suited to his abilities. Zhou, after all, was now akin to an embodiment of Earth itself.

Zhou had absorbed the spirit of Ling Han's most potent system, and his current energy was derived from the faith Ling Han had garnered on Earth.

"Would the young master honor us with his presence?" Faang Yi inquired, noting Ling Han's contemplative demeanor. "The reason for my invitation is that the proprietor of Lunar Crest Keep has just announced a new task. It's beyond me alone, so I'd like to offer the young master half of the rewards for completing this mission."

Faang Yi's voice was melodious, and she placed particular emphasis on the promise of sharing the rewards.

"Ah, I see your angle now; you're looking for an assistant," Ling Han realized with sudden clarity. "All that previous banter was just to win me over and make it hard for me to say no."

Ling Han was keen to visit Lunar Crest Keep to broaden his horizons and learn about the various powers at play in the world.

In line with Faang Yi's wishes, Ling Han readily agreed to her request for assistance. "If Miss Faang Yi requires help, I am at your service," he declared.

"I shall spare no effort!" Ling Han affirmed, clasping his fists in a gesture of commitment.

"Hmph, another one swayed by desire," Faang Yi mused to herself, noticing Ling Han's prompt agreement. She had assumed he was influenced by her presence and thought, "Well, his involvement does increase my chances of success by a fair margin."

"We mustn't delay. Young Master Ling, let us make haste to Lunar Crest Keep," Faang Yi urged, prompting Ling Han to quicken his pace to keep up with her.

Navigating through the lively streets, Ling Han was alert and noticed that the cultivators who had been engaged in a skirmish using their astral force had vanished without a trace.

Indeed, cultivators of such stature could move with incredible speed. The exchange between Ling Han and Faang Yi had been brief, and a regular scuffle would not have escaped Ling Han's notice.

Faang Yi, however, seemed indifferent to such occurrences, as if witnessing battles among astral force cultivators was commonplace for her.

Before long, Ling Han arrived at the renowned Lunar Crest Keep.

Upon entering, even Ling Han paused in awe. The term "golden and resplendent" fell short of capturing the grandeur of the place. The Lunar Crest Keep's signboard, crafted from pure gold, and the silk-draped door railings spoke of an opulence that was truly without equal.

The entrance was abuzz with dashing young nobles and charming maidens, all in the prime of youth, making the atmosphere one of aspiration and allure.

"Young Master, you seem new here. From whence do you hail?" a jovially plump woman inquired with a playful smile as she greeted Ling Han outside the door.

"Hmm?" Ling Han wondered if he had somehow become a magnet for attention, as he seemed to draw the interest of young women wherever he went.

"Sister Xiao Xiu, please don't jest with Young Master Ling. He is a distinguished guest I've taken great pains to invite," Faang Yi interjected, coming to Ling Han's defense. "Ling Han, this is my friend, Senior Sister Xiao Xiu, whose prowess in the Awakening Realm has reached the impressive tenth level."

"So it's Faang Yi's senior sister. My apologies," Ling Han said with a polite gesture of his hands.

"Is this young man also your junior brother assisting you with the mission? It seems you're destined to claim the mission's reward!" Xiu mused, glancing at Faang Yi.

"Don't tease, Senior Sister Xiu," Faang Yi replied with a sweet smile. "Ling Han, here at Lunar Crest Keep, we have our own set of rules. The women who reside here are assigned missions each month. You can choose the level of the mission yourself, and naturally, the higher the level, the more substantial the reward."

"In that case, may I ask what kind of mission you've chosen, Miss Faang?" Ling Han inquired, smiling.

"The mission I've selected is quite challenging. It involves locating a group of bandits and retrieving items they've stolen. Going alone would likely be a death sentence," Faang Yi explained. "Given the high difficulty, the reward offered by the Tower Master is quite lavish."

"By Tower Master, do you mean the Tower Master of Lunar Crest Keep?" Ling Han probed further.

"Exactly. The Tower Master of Lunar Crest Keep is an enigmatic woman. Neither Senior Sister Xiu nor I know her real name," Faang Yi revealed. "Her level of cultivation is beyond our comprehension. However, one of the mission rewards is personal cultivation guidance from the Tower Master herself. That alone is sufficient for me. The additional rewards for combat techniques and weapons can be shared among those who assist."

"Beyond comprehension?" Ling Han pondered in astonishment. He hadn't given much thought to Faang Yi's encounters with practitioners of the Astral Force Realm, but what level of cultivation could the Tower Master of Lunar Crest Keep possess?

"Yao, could it be that the Tower Master has transcended the Astral Force Realm?" Ling Han communicated telepathically with Yao.

"That's beyond our current scope of understanding," Yao responded. "A martial artist first consolidates genuine energy, then refines Qi into astral force. To breach the Awakening realm, one must achieve the tenth level of Perfection with their genuine energy. Only then can they glimpse the Astral Force Realm. Within that realm, there are early, middle, and late stages, with the first three levels being the early stage, and so on. Once one reaches the pinnacle of the tenth level of astral force, they can engage in condensing space and ascend to the Transcendent Realm."

Yao continued, "However, the barrier to the Transcendent realm is incredibly challenging to overcome. Even if a hundred individuals at the tenth level of the astral force realm were to pass away, they still wouldn't achieve the Transcendent realm."

"Those who have reached the Transcendent realm have truly tapped into the secrets of the cosmos. Their lifespans are many times that of ordinary humans, earning them the title of 'thousand-year beings.'"

"Hiss!" Ling Han couldn't help but express his astonishment after hearing Yao's explanation. Yet, his resolve to continue his cultivation only grew stronger, his eyes reflecting an unwavering determination.

Yao's expression brightened with pleasure as he thought to himself, "I had assumed he wasn't ready to grasp the intricacies of the realms I described, given his current state in the Awakening realm. But his spirit for cultivation is unbreakable. I've chosen the right person indeed!"