Ray froze for a second at the concept. It is a dimension full of cultivators, and by normal standards, it is supposed to be impossible, according to DD's normal rules.
"You're not telling me you allow only cultivators into Plana?" Ray frowned as his mind went to the easiest way to realize that, only to get an amused smile from the elders.
"You remember I said they come with new cultivation in Plana?" Sophia asked, receiving a nod from Ray. She continued, "Well, it's thanks to the awakening process…"
Sophia explained that the DD awakening is centered around awakening the soul and the main meridians. With every breakthrough, they expand the meridian network they use, while also boosting the MS and enhancing its energy amplification.
The one Ray used at the start explores the mellow and free heaven and earth energy; they nurture the meridians and the soul avatar, also known as the Material Soul.
"And for Plana?" Ray asked, knowing this clearly, after all, he had to go through this to create his own cultivation technique.
"Here, we break the awakening into three steps." Instead of Sophia, Elder Zhu he answered, being the one behind its creation. His face could not hide the pride behind it.
"Instead of directly awakening the soul of the kids at five or six, we start by body strengthening at three years old, then energy sensing at five, as their body will get used to gathering energy. Then finally, after they hit the limit they can handle, they go to the awakening ceremony, which is not fixed."
Thanks to this process, every child in Plana had awakened with full innate soul power at an age between six and ten, and the later the awakening, the more potential was noticed in them later on.
"As for those who already awakened, or already Soul Masters who can't change their way of cultivation?" Ray asked, confusing them.
Ray pointed at the crowd below. "Some there are already over thirty years old and had quit cultivation?"
"Ah, that!" Sophia understood. "That honestly took us by surprise too."
Some time after the residents reached a certain population, a lake appeared in the holy forest. Along with this, Sophia received a mental message from Plana's consciousness itself to have them use it at least once in their lifetime here.
After some research, they found a purification and cleaning meridian, veins, and marrow effect.
Now every family will take their children at least once every year for what they fondly call "Plana yearly baptism."
Ray looked at them for a second, then extended his sense to the lake, and he found it hiding between a tree formation not far from the back side of the Life Tree.
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Purification Lake: Plana's first-born treasure ground, the ability to clean the body, mind, and soul of the users, either by consuming or submerging in it.
One of Plana's naturally created unique treasure grounds, supporting the creatures residing in Plana.
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Ray was surprised and delighted at the last line. "That means Plana had its own world consence?"
Despite the happy realization, Ray put it aside for later as he nodded at Sophia's explanation and focused on the event.
The survival round almost ended, with the Sea City team hitting their end of luck, meeting a Level 7 monster that was practically a Soul Saint–level creature.
Ray was surprised that they actually took it down, but that caused two of the team members to be sent back to the arena.
"I told him many times to work on his spiritual sense," Fu Ming murmured with a sigh as he watched his son retreat to the arena.
"It was a great fight, though," Ray smiled. "A couple years on, and he would be a menace to others."
Accepting his words with a wary smile, they returned to observing the other team, and Chen was now literally vibrating with excitement as his grandson swept the first trial.
The Forest team, as if taking a stroll by the seaside, did not encounter many problems.
Ray noticed that it was thanks to the way they concealed their presence, along with one of them having a high perception, as it was obvious from how they would change their movement direction sharply, as if sensing danger on that road.
While focusing on the event and the youngsters' travel, the countdown on the screen hit zero and the rest of the two team members appeared in the arena.
Looking around, all of them let out a sigh and dropped to the ground under the crowd's cheers.
Yuna appeared from the flickering light between them, with a wide smile on her face and a tablet in hand.
yuna Clicking something on the screen, the children were covered in light. Soon, their condition was as if they were resting, and there was not even a scratch on their bodies. If not for the tired eyes and torn clothes, one would think that the last round was an illusion.
"Now, ladies and gentlemen, after a small rest, we will begin the first round of the battle trial." Yuna waved her hands at the crowd. "Please sit tight for the exciting battles next."
With screams from the crowd, Ray could literally see sparks fly between the two youngsters' team leaders, and it was not an illusion. From what he sensed, it was an aura clash.
A unique byproduct of Plana cultivation is that the moment the cultivator expels their energy and comes into contact with external energy, it leaves unique effects on contact. If two cultivators targeted each other, they would experience the effect that he was currently witnessing. Although it had hardly any effect on people inside Plana, they used it to flex or show their fighting intent.
For example, the youngsters were clashing their auras in flickering and intimidating acts.
Thankfully, Ray did not see or sense any ill intent or hatred, but pure fighting intent, burning between them.
Nodding in appreciation, Ray looked back at the elders. "You really did a great job raising them. They will be great characters in the future."
The elders nodded with goofy smiles, and while the timeout was going on, Ray took it as a chance to ask about some of the conditions around Plana, from their inner interactions to other things.
By the time he got some of his confusion cleaned out, the crowd started to stir again as Yuna stepped into the center of the arena.
"Welcome back to the finals, champions," Yuna said with an excited smile. "I have to say, it is an exciting final we have this year. Not only did we get to see one of the greatest talents Plana had butting heads, but we also got our King back. Exciting!!"
Ray smiled wryly, remembering some of the streamers and VTuber characters from his past life. However, remembering that they were actually streaming the event to the whole Plana did make sense somehow.
"Now, without any more words," Yuna clapped her hands, and the platform she was standing on shifted to look like a commentator room, along with an earpiece appearing on her ear.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The first round 1v1 starts now!!!!" Yuna said, her voice somehow becoming like that of an MMA commentator.
Weirdly enough, Ray felt his blood pumping, causing him to smile, amused by the fact.
"I see…" Ray looked at Yuna in a new light, realizing what was going on as he felt the soul energy vibrating with her voice.
"That's one scary crowd control she's got there." From what he sensed, Yuna was using sound waves and vibrations of her voice to affect the emotional changes of the people around her, and that was on a passive, unnoticed level to them.
"Yup. You should attend one of her singing concerts later. You will be blown away," Elder Zhu said, and Ray sensed something like a fane undertone in it.
After Yuna exclaimed, the screen showed a fighting table with 1v1 empty on both sides. By the look of it, they would have three matches.
From both sides, they entered, and Ray noticed that both of them had selected weapons, with the one from the Forest side having a curved blade strapped to his side, and the boy from the seaside having a spear leaned on his shoulder.
"Oh, so they are allowed to use weapons," Ray said, excited, after all, DD hardly used any weapons if they were not MS.
"Well, everything is allowed in 1v1, except the use of Material Souls," Sophia said, surprising Ray with her answer. "If not using the MS, what's the point of them fighting?"
"You will understand," Sophia said mysteriously, and Ray knew for sure that he was about to be surprised.
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