’This is...!’

Ezra’s eyes lit up as the glowing list scrolled past on his communicator, his attention grabbed by the boldly captioned ’Secret Realm Expeditions’

Tens—no, dozens—of missions flashed before him under this category, each with detailed risk assessments, entry limitations, reward probabilities, and contribution token requirements.

But that wasn’t even the most surprising part.

What shocked him was the sheer volume.

In Black Dragon Galaxy Cluster, secret realms were treated like rare seasonal events, their existence well-guarded and their entry requirements harshly competitive.

But here in the Crux Nebula? The sheer number of secret realms made him realize that such things would probably be routine here.

Ezra counted silently.

The majority required additional conditions such as invitations from certain parties, but four were completely open at the present moment, available for first-come, first-serve entry.

Although, they were all classified to be for Transcendents rather than nascents.

He expands the category lists and scrolls further.

Some were named after celestial anomalies: Void Serpent Hollow, Scorched Pearl Expanse, The Mirage Spires, Whispering Ember Glade—each one sounded more fantastical than the last. And the potential rewards? Astronomical.

One open realm—Starflame Orchard—boasted ancient medicinal herbs that could significantly enhance a cultivator’s Qi foundation.

Another realm promised essence stones which Ezra guessed are spell casting materials for mages.

Ezra leans forward slightly, digesting the details.

As he searches out Nascent level secret realms, Magnus finds that the majority of them were marked with a date, specifying that the secret realm could not be used at the current time.

In this way, Ezra retained a sense of normalcy upon noting that these secret realms also had time limits for venturing in.

Furthermore, he notes that there is no secret realm available to nascents that is without entry requirements, whether it be contribution tokens to be paid or other things.

He scans the remaining entries.

A few were jointly accessible, meant for team expeditions.

Others were tightly restricted, locked behind elder recommendations or achievement thresholds.

Another detail became clear: realms here were frequently refreshed.

The Crux Nebula clearly had a deeper connection to spatial anomalies than the Black Dragon Galaxy Cluster ever had.

Or perhaps... it was being managed differently.

Ezra’s lips curled in thought.

The Scarlet Dragon Clan’s standings granted them certain privileges—entry in different dimensions, maybe even fallen legacies buried within fractures of space.

The opportunity was immense but likewise is the risk.

Thinking in another way, the Scarlet Dragon clan was definitely not too special within the confines of this starfield, they had as many as twenty competing clans close or above them in standard.

Therefore, rather than saying it in respect of the Scarlet Dragon clan, it would rather be that the Crux Nebula was simply littered with secret realms, on a level incomparable to that of the black dragon galaxy cluster, therefore allowing multiple parties decent shares of the cake.

’Hmm’

Pondering, Ezra decides to check what other missions were available.

Ezra’s finger paused mid-scroll as a new section caught his eye: Astral Sea.

The text shimmered with faint silver hues, marked by a symbol he hadn’t seen before—a stylized wave encasing a glowing star.

He tapped the icon, and the list expanded in full.

Immediately, a different atmosphere settled over the interface.

Unlike the more vibrant Secret Realm listings, these missions were outlined in stark clarity, punctuated with bold disclaimers and rigid instructions.

A soft hum echoed from his communicator as if the device recognized the gravity of what was being presented.

> "Astral Sea expeditions pose extreme risk. Engage with caution"

He scrolled down.

The first column was labeled Survey Missions – Starfield Mapping.

A set of objectives appeared:

Chart the movements of astral tides at the edge of the Machine Hive Galaxy.

Stand guard at the edge of the desolate gap between the Myra and Therian for ten days.

Provide assistance to working personnel in setting up stargates at intervals across the Crux Nebula.

Each mission offered a fixed reward of 10,000 contribution tokens with the options of extra rewards dependent on their performance.

The next category: Astral Beasts.

Ezra tapped it, and the list updated.

The screen darkened momentarily, then flickered with shifting bestiary entries.

Etchings of strange and abstract creatures accompanied the mission briefs—coiling shadows that danced like ink in water, beasts with crystalized bones and stellar cores embedded in their chests, some that appeared like floating reefs cloaked in dream mist.

For Ezra, the illustrations served to be eye-openers, as he hadn’t seen other varying types of astral beasts since the only one he killed years prior.

> "Target: Tooth of a Moonbound Phasma Beast" Rank; Fledgling/Juvenile. Reward: 18,000 contribution tokens.

> "Target: Full Body of an Ethereal Howler" Location: sighted in the Astral Sea closest to Claw Star Zone within the Zeralis Galaxy Cluster.

Caution: Resistant to Physical attacks and possess lethal poison. Antidotes must be prepared in advance.

Notes: Spare parts of the abyss howler are also accepted.

Reward Structure: 135,000 CT/ 89 Million Crypt. Terms are negotiable.

> "Target: Fins of a Solarfin Tiderunner (Rare) – Capture Required" Mission Type: Special Assignment from Alchemy Pavilion Bonus Reward: 45,000 CT

Seeing all this, Ezra enters a lull of silence as he considers his options to decide his next actions.

For one, there was the Sovereign Universe, which apart from the initial Halostar Galaxy, lay barren to this day.

While understandable that he previously had no solutions to the issue as he didn’t dare plunder planets that were under surveillance of multiple forces, the astral sea now lay before him to explore.

Furthermore, with <Lifeseeker>, he was bound to have some gains, and most importantly, he wouldn’t simply be wandering the astral sea while blind.

But on that note, Ezra also has to think of how to get access to a secret realm so as to use a strategic location for them to gather materials and continuously raise their strength.

Furthermore, he also has his own cultivation to think about.

In short of these considerations, he calls the attention of a former powerhouse who is also his advisor.

"Zydrax" he whispered.

There was a brief pause.

Then a voice spoke—not aloud, but like a resonance inside his skull, with a fine depth.

[What are you calling me for?]

’Sheesh’ Ezra thought, startled.

Clearly his advisor was not in the best of moods at the current time.

Ignoring the tone, Ezra explains the situation and the choices that lay ahead, requesting Zydrax input.

After ten seconds, a reply comes through.

[Hmm, this reminds of something]

This time, his tone had turned back to his usual placid state.

[The sovereign universe in your soul has been and is still expanding endlessly]

Only to turn grave the next instant.

[And if it goes on like this without any changes, your soul with inevitably unravel and collapse under such an immense mass, leading to the erasure of both our existences]

’Aren’t you perhaps forgetting the tens of millions of people who will also die?’ Ezra inwardly lampoons.

His expression turns shaken, but he maintains a calm outwardly demeanour. "How long will it be before this happens?"

[At your current level...roughly five years...but it can be subjected to change at the very next moment, so this estimate means very little]

*Exhale* "So, what is the solution?"

After all, it would be strange for Zydrax to bring up the problem without having already thought up possible solutions.

[Your ability] he pauses. [I’m talking about <Omni-subordination>]

[I was previously mistaken about its functions] he continues. [It’s main function is not to contribute to your cultivation. Instead, it takes bits of the subordinate’s soul and binds to yours to further stabilize it against the mass of the sovereign universe]

[In principle, it acts as an anchor to prevent your mass from collapsing upon itself]

[Therefore, you should focus on finding unclaimed and undiscovered star zones and galaxies within the confines of the Astral Sea, and do so with haste]

"Furrowing his brows, Ezra exhaled slowly, the weight of possibilities piling on his shoulders.

The Astral Sea. Dangerous, expansive, brimming with secrets—and more importantly, unclaimed space.

"If I don’t increase the anchors soon..." he muttered aloud.

He would be consumed.

In accordance to his understanding of his current dillema, just as a star collapses inwards without equilibrium, so too would his very soul fragment into nothingness, with every being within dying as well.

"Huuuu....*exhales*"

’In anycase, this means I don’t have to worry about what to do anymore’ Ezra laughs, cheering himself on.

Right after, he sits up, activating his communicator’s map projection.

A small, sleek hologram emerged, displaying the clan’s inner territories.

The Mission Hall, located near the central plaza, shimmered with a golden marker.

Several routes blinked into view.

"Well" Ezra muttered, rising to his feet. "No point overthinking"

He straightened his robes and pocketed the communicator.

With practiced steps, he left his accommodation and made his way out through the disciple quarters.

The path to the Mission Hall was relatively quiet at this hour.

A few other inner disciples walked past, exchanging brief nods or curious glances.

Some were veterans—recognizable from their custom engraved waist tags—while others, like him, were freshly admitted.

As he entered the Mission Hall, the transition from stone to sleek, rune-embedded flooring marked a stark shift.

The place buzzed with quiet energy.

Floating panels circled above, displaying mission boards, fluctuating rewards, and current rankings.

The hall itself was divided into tiers.

The lower section had several counters, each manned by calm, expressionless attendants wearing silver dragon emblems.

A wide circular terminal sat at the center, with rows of meditation seats aligned like a lecture theater around it.

Ezra moved toward the central terminal, eyes scanning for any open slots.

As he approached, a light blinked on one of the stations, signifying vacancy.

A thin man in silver robes stood behind the desk, eyes half-lidded, but sharp nonetheless.

His badge read Aide Zuren.

"Name and designation?" Zuren asked in a voice like parchment folding.

"Sylvester. Inner Disciple of the Scarlet Dragon Clan."

Zuren’s eyes flicked once over the interface before him.

"Confirmed. Your entry privileges are at Tier-2 access for mission selection. You may petition for special approval if needed. Specify your intention"

"I’m applying for Astral Sea access" Ezra replied calmly, standing upright.

"And I’d like to register a potential sector claim as well, should I come across uncharted zones"

Zuren raised an eyebrow. "You’re a bit early to think of sector claims, don’t you think?"

Ezra met his gaze steadily. "I don’t think we have the luxury of waiting"

For a second, something flickered behind the aide’s eyes—recognition or amusement, perhaps.

Then, without a word, Zuren tapped across his terminal, and a faint pulse of light encased Ezra’s badge.

"Temporary Astral Access Level-1 granted," Zuren said.

"Your communicator will now display open astral lanes monitored by the clan, and available claim routes. All claims are probationary until reviewed by the Territorial Hall."

He paused.

"I should warn you, Sylvester... the Astral Sea isn’t kind to those who rush in"

"I don’t intend to rush" Ezra replied. "Just... arrive first"

Zuren allowed himself the smallest smirk. "Spoken like someone who might just survive"

Ezra turned, now marked and logged, and headed to the rune-inscribed lifts at the rear of the Mission Hall.

One blinked blue as he neared, syncing with his badge.

A soft whoosh followed as he stepped inside, the lift quietly whisking him upward.

He emerged onto the third tier—quiet, wide, and filled with fewer disciples.

Holographic mission lists floated mid-air, while alcoves along the walls housed projection pods—pods that allowed deeper inspection of mission zones through virtual immersion.

Ezra entered one and activated the node.

The scene flickered into life.

A panoramic view of a section of the Astral Sea expanded around him—a vast, violet-black ocean speckled with starfire and drifting anomalies.

A web of navigation lines traced the major safe zones and scout corridors.

Ezra turned toward the outer regions—where there were no lines, just the faint outline of darkness and pulses of stray astral energy.