Above the sky, a vortex stream appeared—purplish-black, with even more darkness swirling within it compared to the one during the Giants' incident.
The entire world was shaken. Civilians grew uneasy, while the strong felt excitement.
"Not again..."
"Don't panic. It might not be the same as the last Mystic Realm with the Giants. It might not target civilians."
"I hope not. Otherwise, it'd be terrifying."
"There are too many types of Mystic Realms—no way to guess what this one will be like. But even if it's similar, there's no need to panic. Since there's only one, it must be a multiplayer type."
...
Many speculated, feeling somewhat reassured and choosing not to dwell on it. Information would soon be revealed.
Ye Yu thought that while many could participate, they might be separated upon entry. If everyone had to face a single target, the color of this Mystic Realm wouldn't be darker than the one during the Giants' incident.
Soon, everyone looked toward the vortex stream and received the information.
This time, anyone could enter the Mystic Realm. Upon entry, they would be randomly paired with two teammates. The difficulty of the challenge would scale according to individual strength, though the specifics were hard to explain clearly—participants would understand once inside.
Additionally, a warning: the difficulty this time was no less than the previous Giants' Mystic Realm, possibly even greater. Clearing it would be extremely tough, but participants could exit at any time. Those who left early would only receive partial rewards.
Many were left confused. Initially happy that the challenge would adjust to their strength, they now realized it wouldn't be simple. Still, the option to exit anytime eased their worries, so despite the higher difficulty, many were ready to participate.
Even if they couldn't clear it entirely, partial rewards were better than nothing—just like the first Mystic Realm, which had ten floors, but even clearing one granted rewards.
Soon, the Mystic Realm opened. To enter, one only needed to focus their will on the vortex stream.
The civilians sighed in relief—this wasn't a case of Mystic Realm creatures invading a city, so it didn't concern them.
Ye Yu said, "Let's all go in and do our best. If there's any danger, we'll exit immediately. Life comes first."
"Aye, Captain."
Xia Ling added, "I hope we get paired together."
Zhao Yan'er shook her head. "With so many people entering and teams of three, the odds are about as low as winning the lottery."
Han Ling took out a photograph of Ye Yu and activated her ability.
"Captain, I'll make you a Phantom Photograph."
"Sure."
Ye Yu didn't refuse—the Phantom might prove useful again.
Afterward, Han Ling was completely drained, exhausted from creating just one Phantom of Ye Yu. She couldn't help anyone else obtain Phantoms. Still, she could participate in the Mystic Realm since it lasted three days, and the Phantom would only disappear afterward. Han Ling needed a full day and night to recover, which would be just in time.
With that, Ye Yu entered the Mystic Realm, photograph in hand.
The scene shifted, revealing a pale, empty space with three wooden doors ahead.
At the same time, two figures materialized beside Ye Yu—both men. One was tall and burly, silent and reserved, while the other was slender, wearing heavy makeup—clearly not a woman, but a man. Ye Yu wondered if he might be a member of the Transvestite Pirates.
The silent man on the left noticed Ye Yu, stiffening slightly before his eyes lit up with admiration. He nodded in greeting.
The cross-dresser on the right froze in disbelief, rubbing his eyes to confirm he wasn't seeing things. Overwhelmed with excitement, admiration, and joy, he burst into tears—genuine tears of happiness.
"It's really you, my idol! To be assigned to the same team as you—I must be the luckiest person alive!"
Thud!
Suddenly, he dropped to his knees before Ye Yu.
Ye Yu was taken aback. "Why the sudden kneeling?"
The cross-dresser spoke with deep gratitude, "Idol, thank you so much. Without you, I'd be dead. You're not just my idol—you're my savior. I take loyalty seriously, and I'll find a way to repay you. And don't let my slender frame or being a cross-dresser fool you—I'll act like a true man."
Ye Yu couldn't help but see a resemblance to a certain someone in this person—Bon Clay.
Ye Yu frowned. "I saved you?"
"Yes! It's normal you don't recognize me—we've never met. During the Giants' Mystic Realm, I was in the safe zone of Taiyuan City. If you hadn't taken on the challenge, none of us—civilians or Pirates—would've survived. By defeating the Giants, you saved my comrades and me. You're my greatest benefactor."
Ye Yu understood now—indirectly, he had indeed saved this man's life.
"Get up," Ye Yu said. "My main goal was protecting my territory and testing my limits for rewards. Saving you was incidental—no need for this."
The cross-dresser shook his head. "It's absolutely necessary. The fact remains—you saved my life, and I'll never forget it."
Just then, the wooden door began to glow. Ye Yu watched with anticipation—the true nature of this Mystic Realm would only reveal itself through participation.
Soon, they learned each person was to stand before a door. The cross-dresser hurried to his feet, not daring to delay.
Ye Yu took the center position, flanked by the other two on either side.
In the next instant, the doors' glow shifted. The cross-dresser's door radiated a subdued purple light, while the burly man's emitted a piercing violet hue tinged with black. As for Ye Yu's door… it shone pure black.
Ye Yu surmised the colors reflected their strength—the burly man ranked second here, clearly a Chosen One.
Frowning slightly, Ye Yu felt both surprise and a surge of adrenaline. This challenge would surpass the Giants' Mystic Realm in difficulty. Though he'd grown stronger since then, the near-black glow—flecked with faint purple—signaled unprecedented danger.
The realization thrilled him. Another chance to push his limits.
The cross-dresser paled upon seeing it. "Black? I've never seen that before. The highest is usually purple mixed with black, but yours is black with just a trace of purple—practically a Black Mystic Realm!"
The burly man was equally stunned. Ye Yu faced the hardest trial—each person's challenge scaled to their power. Yet the danger and difficulty for him and the cross-dresser might rival Ye Yu's—perhaps equally lethal.
After all, their strength was naturally not as great as Ye Yu's, so they were facing challenges beyond their limits.
At this moment, everyone learned that this Mystic Realm had a total of three trials. Completing all would grant them the final reward. They could withdraw at any time, and even if they didn't pass the first trial, they would still gain experience based on their performance. The subsequent trials wouldn't be individual but would require teamwork.
This revelation made everyone understand immediately, and those who entered became highly motivated, determined to give their all.
Ye Yu said, "Let's introduce ourselves to understand each other's strengths and abilities."