As soon as the four Daoist elders returned from the Nether Gate, the gray mist around it condensed into a massive, dark-green ghost claw that was ten meters long and covered in dense green scales. It then tried to hit them with god-like might. It was as if a giant ghost general had extended its arm from inside the Nether Gate. Though the four elders were at the Golden Core Realm, they froze the moment the arm appeared. The immense power pinning them prevented them from even moving a finger. Like statues, all they could do was wait helplessly for the claw to crash down. The few other elders nearby reacted too slowly as well. They barely had time to cast spells or even harness any primal qi. A muffled explosion rang. The green arm suddenly collapsed, and gray mist rained down and knocked the four elders off balance. It then dispersed over the ground and back into the Nether Gate. If not for the powerful, oppressive aura that made ordinary people kneel within a kilometer, those who saw it would have thought it was just an illusion. Back at the mountain villa, Wang Sheng stood up and sighed in relief. He glanced at Xi Lian, who was beside him. "Big Sister, what was that?" "Likely a residual spirit consciousness left to guard the Nether Gate," Xi Lian replied. "Or perhaps the spirit of the gate itself. We should give them a call and offer to help. The cultivation world is still too weak." Wang Sheng nodded. He called his mistress at once. After a moment of deliberation, Chi Ling declined. She told Xi Lian to stay put and let the authorities handle everything. Minutes later, Wang Sheng received a video from Mou Yue. One of the Daoist masters had recorded what lay beyond the Nether Gate. It seemed that once inside the gate, all electronic devices functioned again, allowing the Daoist master to get clear footage. Upon venturing over a hundred meters into the Nether Realm, the four elders attempted to contact Mount Pingdu but failed. Concerned that those outside would worry, they promptly returned. With their enchanted power shielding them, the Nether Realm's atmosphere could not harm them. Not even the scary green claw caused real harm. The video had captured the entire place. While watching, Mu Wanxuan, who was fairly calm at first, gradually turned pale. She unconsciously began to inch sideways. Inside the Nether Gate was a dim realm with dark-red soil, low-hanging sky, and gray mist floating in the air. Past the vast plains was a range of endless mountains. It was impossible to tell how far they were from the Nether Gate. After looking into the distance for a while, the four Daoist elders turned back, which panned the camera toward Nether Gate. Even on the other side, it still had a green glow. Behind it stretched a sea of gray mist, with pale-blue ghost flames floating within. The mist marked the edge of the Small Nether Realm and also seemed to represent the murky, impure mortal world. The gate stood right at its edge, separating and connecting the two realms. The video ended soon after. Its most valuable part was confirming that there were currently no monsters or ghosts inside the Small Nether Realm. "That gray mist has to be the boundary of the Small Nether Realm," Xi Lian softly commented. Her slender fingers brushed against her lips as they curved into a faint, mesmerizing smile. "I'm tempted to go take a look myself." Wang Sheng didn't respond. After all, his mistress had clearly refused to let Xi Lian go to Mount Pingdu. He glanced around the living room. Confused, he asked, "Where's my senior sister?" "Mm!" From behind the sofa, a soft, fair hand popped up. With a hint of stubbornness, Mu Wanxuan said, "I'm fine." He had nearly forgotten that Mu Wanuan was terribly afraid of ghosts. The enormous green claw earlier hadn't scared her much since she could imagine it as a giant monster's hand, but those eerie ghost flames... Wang Sheng quickly went over to comfort her. Xi Lian tilted her head and blinked, then giggled. "You're afraid of ghosts, Little Xuanxuan? There's nothing to be scared of. Ghost cultivators are usually about seventy to eighty percent weaker than human cultivators at the same level." Mu Wanxuan still had her pride. She forced herself to appear composed and sat back on the sofa as if nothing had happened. However, when Wang Sheng walked over, she casually pulled him down and squeezed him next to her on the single-seater sofa. The tension around Mount Pingdu eased significantly. Now able to finally act freely, the Cultivation Research Institute began testing what the minimum cultivation realm requirement was to resist the destructive ghost aura of the Small Nether Realm. Soon, they concluded that early-stage Illusory Core Realm cultivators could stay inside the Small Nether Realm, but they had to keep expending true essence to neutralize the ghost aura. Mid-stage Illusory Core Realm cultivators could maintain their true essence and move around inside the Small Nether Realm without trouble. There was plenty of primal qi within the Small Nether Realm, but it was mixed with ghost qi, yin qi, and murderous qi. Cultivators below the Golden Core Realm would be slowly poisoned if they inhaled it. Next, the Cultivation Research Institute tested the ghost claw. The second time cultivators entered and exited the Nether Gate, the claw still formed quickly and once again collapsed instantly. After repeating the process three or four times, the pattern changed. Whenever someone exited Nether Gate, only gray mist surged around the area. The claw no longer formed. Cultivators could now pass through the Nether Gate unobstructed. Around 9:00 AM, the Special Warfare Unit selected over thirty Illusory Core Realm elites. With support from the Cultivation Research Institute, they quickly built a base inside the Small Nether Realm and began preparations to explore deeper. The unknown was frightening, but it was also full of opportunity. If they could find a way to control the cycle of souls and rebirth, they'd be a step closer toward immortality. Nevertheless, the Hua Republic remained clear-headed. Protecting the people came first. If the Nether Realm proved too dangerous, nuking the entire realm was not off the table. The first expedition team was swiftly assembled: eighteen Special Warfare Unit elites, three instructors, and six Daoist elders and masters from various Daoist sects. The seven Golden Core Realm and twenty late-stage Illusory Core Realm cultivators boarded two of the latest armored personnel carriers, along with two mobile platforms fitted with laser cannons and miniature missiles. They moved slowly through the Nether Gate. Their only job was to conduct preliminary exploration and send back updates from the base they had built, which they called a transfer station. After they left, the Cultivation Research Institute focused on analysis while the Special Warfare Unit remained on standby. The Special Investigation Unit, however, got busy. They had to keep explaining to incoming cultivators what had happened and warn them of the danger. Since the threat level was high enough that the use of nuclear weapons remained a real possibility, disciples from Daoist sects were advised to stay away for now. As time passed, more and more modern weapons were locked onto the position of the Nether Gate. Every three to five minutes, people would exit and hand over the latest video footage. The probes continued uninterrupted, with everything proceeding remarkably smoothly. Perhaps because the situation had stabilized for now, the authorities formally invited Xi Lian to join the remote advisory team out of worry that she'd get upset. At noon, Wang Sheng set up the camera beside the projector screen. Meanwhile, the half-immortal fox changed out of her lazy, charming look and into a refined long dress. Sitting upright on the sofa, she now gave off an air of elegance, grace, and poise. Wang Sheng tested the mic, then placed it beside Xi Lian. The seductive fox immortal was now ready to answer questions live. Soon, the speakers connected to the projector relayed everything she said. "The Nether Gate can't be entered carelessly. The yin qi and ghost aura in there are too intense. Moreover, when the immortals of the Heavenly Court left, they sealed the Nether Realm. Who knows what kind of powerful ghosts have formed inside that we just haven't disturbed yet." Off to the side, where the camera couldn't see, Wang Sheng glanced at Mu Wanxuan. The two shared a quiet smile. Xi Lian had just said that there were no ghost soldiers in the Nether Realm, yet she was now claiming the opposite. She was clearly trying to grab attention. After she was done, the livestream switched to a virtual conference room. A dozen or so Cultivation Research Institute and Special Warfare Unit leaders all looked at Xi Lian. As a few old men silently put on reading glasses, an old man in a military uniform frowned. Xi Lian casually answered, "Ziyan Temple's ancient devil." The group of elders immediately broke into warm, friendly smiles. 「Miss Xi, what did you mean just now?」 "Oh, nothing really. I was just saying it offhand. I've been sealed for thirteen hundred years. I don't know much about these things." The more Xi Lian spoke, the more seriously the elders began to take her. Worried that the footage of the Nether Realm on the screen would scare Mu Wanxuan, Wang Sheng tugged at her wrist and pointed at the dining room. The two quietly slipped away behind Xi Lian. Xi Lian rambled on for a while, leaving the experts confused and unsure. About ten minutes later, the meeting finally returned to the main topic. They resumed analyzing and studying the Small Nether Realm, while Xi Lian continued to listen in with great interest, having already made her presence known. At some point, Wang Sheng's phone vibrated on the sofa. Before the ringtone even started, he had already grabbed it. He wasn't familiar with the caller ID, which made him hesitate for a second. Not many people had his number. Still, he tapped the green button. As soon as the call connected, he heard a familiar voice. —Hello... Junior Schoolmate? Wang Sheng froze for a second, then smiled. "Senior Sister Shen? You changed your number? Why didn't you tell me?" —Well, I moved to another city after graduation, so I had to change my number. Sorry, I forgot to let you know... Mu Wanxuan, who had been reading comics nearby, blinked. Shen Qianlin? She kept her eyes on her phone screen, but one of her ears twitched without her noticing.