The strength cap for entering a First Level Secret Realm is the Extraordinary Level. So long as a Guardian Beast's power hasn't reached the Extraordinary Level, it can enter the Secret Realm.
This restriction targets the Guardian Beast Master's Soul Base. It doesn't mean a Guardian Beast Master can enter the Secret Realm simply by refraining from using their Extraordinary Level Guardian Beasts inside.
Even if a Guardian Beast Master only uses Guardian Beasts below the Extraordinary Level to fight within the Secret Realm, they will be rejected by the First Level Secret Realm as long as any Guardian Beast linked to their Soul Base has reached the Extraordinary Level.
Zhong Yi chose the Horned Demon Secret Realm not because he was fearless or overconfident, but simply because of the fixed strength cap of a First Level Secret Realm.
The Hong Ji that Zhong Yi had contracted reached Silver Quality while still at the Mortal Beast Level, surpassing the highest Quality ever recorded for a Guardian Beast of that level.
An increase in Quality provides a massive boost to a Guardian Beast's strength. Moreover, Hong Ji had absorbed a Bizarre at the peak of the Extraordinary Level, just one step away from reaching the Fantasy Level.
Its combat prowess was completely beyond comparison to ordinary Guardian Beasts of the same tier!
Even if they were unlucky enough to encounter a large Horned Demon Swarm in the Secret Realm, ensuring their own safety wouldn't be an issue, even if they couldn't annihilate the entire group.
Hong Ji was the source of Zhong Yi's confidence, and the reason he dared to bring Zhong Ling into the Horned Demon Secret Realm.
However, for a resource-rich Secret Realm like the Horned Demon Secret Realm, which has no entry limit and produces materials like Fire Essence Ore, the most terrifying thing is often not the Demons within, but fellow human Guardian Beast Masters!
After a trip through the Horned Demon Secret Realm and experiencing real combat, Zhong Ling would naturally understand in which direction she should develop her Wangyu Butterfly.
The Zhenchong Commerce Association was a local business rooted in Starlight City. As its name suggested, it specialized in Insect Guardian Beasts.
It wasn't just Mortal Beast Level Insect Guardian Beasts; as long as you could afford the price, the Zhenchong Commerce Association could even procure ones at the Fantasy Level.
Even though Guardian Beasts must be contracted at the Mortal Beast Level, there was still a market for live Extraordinary and Fantasy Level Guardian Beasts.
For example, when certain Creators concocted specific Potions, they required freshly secreted bodily fluids or phosphorus powder from Fantasy Level Insect Guardian Beasts.
Furthermore, raising variously colored, Extraordinary Level Gem Golden Turtles in one's residence had become a new trend among the great families and powerful factions in recent years.
It was said that the Zhenchong Commerce Association, despite being a local Starlight City business, had already expanded to open shops in the five major cities surrounding it.
However, because the Lower City Districts were chaotic and prone to appearances by Bizarres, the Zhenchong Commerce Association only established its shops in the Upper City Districts of these major cities.
Just as Zhong Yi and Zhong Ling arrived at the Zhenchong Commerce Association, an attendant immediately came forward to greet them.
"Hello, welcome to the Zhenchong Commerce Association's Store Number Seven."
"Are you just looking around, or is there a specific Guardian Beast you need? I can make some recommendations for you."
At a major business like the Zhenchong Commerce Association, all attendants had undergone specialized training for their roles.
They were every bit as professional as the attendants at the Beastmaster Association, but their attitude toward customers was warmer and more respectful.
There were several businesses in Starlight City capable of acquiring such high-end resources.
These major businesses competed with one another, and the deciding factor was often which one's service could better retain customers.
Zhong Yi had already made a decision regarding the Soul Element Butterfly Guardian Beast that Zhong Ling would anchor using her Talent Mother Cocoon Room.
As the person who wrote the lore for the game world, Zhong Yi was practically a walking encyclopedia of Guardian Beasts.
Even scholars who specialized in Guardian Beast research didn't necessarily have a deeper understanding of them, or know of more species, than Zhong Yi did.
"Do you have any Soul Vein Mother Butterflies?"
"We'll need a private room. My companion will be forming a Contract with the Soul Vein Mother Butterfly in there shortly."
The female attendant, who wore delicate makeup, had an exceptionally friendly smile on her face. But when she heard Zhong Yi's words, she couldn't help but look surprised.
"We do have the Soul Vein Mother Butterfly. I'll help you pick out the healthiest one and bring it over shortly."
"We have several types of Soul Element Butterfly Guardian Beasts here at the Zhenchong Commerce Association. For example, both the White-Winged Brain Butterfly, which has the Basic Skill 'Soul-Cry Wave,' and the Earth Soul Phoenix Butterfly, with the Basic Skill 'Soul-Cutting Wings,' are excellent attackers and have impressive potential."
Normally, if a customer specified a particular Guardian Beast, the attendants at the Zhenchong Commerce Association wouldn't make other recommendations.
It was just that the Soul Vein Mother Butterfly was widely regarded as trash. During its development, all of its Skills and Exclusive Traits were completely unrelated to combat.
Although the Soul Vein Mother Butterfly could produce soul-nourishing chrysalises after consuming the pollen of Soul Element flowers, the value of those chrysalises was often less than the cost of the pollen it consumed.
This meant the Soul Vein Mother Butterfly could only be regarded as a rather pretty, ornamental Guardian Beast—in other words, a "beautiful waste"!
'What could a Guardian Beast Master possibly get from contracting a Soul Vein Mother Butterfly, other than a headache? Besides, Zhong Yi and Zhong Ling were both so young. They probably didn't understand the consequences of making a poor choice for a Contracted Guardian Beast.'
That's why the attendant had spoken up with a warning, but she kept it brief and tactful.
Zhong Yi sensed the attendant's good intentions and smiled at her.
'In truth, the White-Winged Brain Butterfly and the Earth Soul Phoenix Butterfly had initially been among his considerations. For instance, the White-Winged Brain Butterfly's Basic Skill, Soul-Cry Wave, could attack a target's soul from long range. The Earth Soul Phoenix Butterfly's Basic Skill, Soul-Cutting Wings, was a close-range attack. A strike from its wings wouldn't just damage a target's body; it would affect their soul as well. Furthermore, as they were raised, the Skills and Exclusive Traits of both species had the potential to amplify Soul Power.
'But the reason he hadn't chosen the White-Winged Brain Butterfly or the Earth Soul Phoenix Butterfly was simple: as they grew and went through Evolution, they were more likely to develop offensive Skills and Exclusive Traits. They weren't like the Soul Vein Mother Butterfly, whose Skills and Exclusive Traits were always Support Type, no matter how it was raised. Its abilities had a high probability of amplifying the Soul Vein Mother Butterfly's own soul.
'The Soul Vein Mother Butterfly's innate Skill, Soul Nurturing, could increase soul capacity on its own. And as its Tier and Quality increased, the soul-expansion effect of the Soul Nurturing Skill would even multiply.'
"Thank you for the recommendation, but we'll stick with the Soul Vein Mother Butterfly."
"In addition to the Soul Vein Mother Butterfly, please also select forty Unranked, Mortal Beast Level Shattered Blade Butterflies for us and bring them to the private room."
Hearing Zhong Yi insist on the Soul Vein Mother Butterfly, the attendant said no more and reverted to her warm and respectful demeanor.
Zhong Yi and Zhong Ling had been waiting in the private room for less than ten minutes when the attendant returned.
She directed a six-meter-long, purple-gray, two-headed serpent, which steadily placed two glass containers, each half a person tall, on the table in front of Zhong Yi and Zhong Ling.