[Sky Arena].

With its incredible thousand layers, this colossal tier-eight tower structure, visible in the physical world, rises two thousand kilometers high, compressing space countless times within to house secret realms and secrets.

Rather than a tower, it's more appropriate to describe it as a world-like spiritual artifact, a multi-functional ecosystem with immense scale.

Not only does it reinforce and stabilize the boundary wall of Blue Star, it can also influence the Outer Battlefield from the world's interior, disrupting the rules like a mythical object piercing the heaven, stabbing into the world beyond.

In fact, its main construction was carried out in the Outer Battlefield, where the strong face lesser suppression.

It's hard to imagine during its crafting, what astonishing, terrifying power the Celestial Artisan and the assisting Beast Kings and True Masters displayed, the sheer volume of materials used, and the essence of technology, divine objects from countless different worlds that were harnessed to achieve this feat.

The only relatively familiar history everyone knows is that nearly a hundred years ago, the complete body of the Sky Arena was finally forged, plunging straight into the pre-designated spot in Coastal City, Yue Shui Province, from outside the boundary wall.

Subsequently, dozens to hundreds of secret realms with various sizes and functions were dragged from different parts of Great Xia and even Blue Star by some unknown being, like stars cast into it, completing the final forging in the hands of the Celestial Artisan.

It's said.

At that time, the brilliance pierced the skies and the earth, yet the colors were indescribably chaotic, making it nearly impossible to see any images or record any footage or archives.

And when all quieted, the immense, unspeakably huge structure stood upon the earth.

After its completion, the ownership of this miraculous creation was jointly overseen by several giants from Great Xia's official body and the mysterious tier-eight Holy Beast, System.

Thereafter, this colossal structure gradually integrated into Great Xia, into the lives of the citizens of Yue Shui Province, with almost most of the Coastal City inhabitants considering it and the System as an inherent part of their existence.

Just like the credit level one is born with, the System responding to one's call anytime, and the sun rising and setting in the east and west, it becomes an unquestionable rule.

However.

Apart from those standing at the very pinnacle of Great Xia.

Not even the hundreds of millions who live alongside it day and night know the full view of the Sky Arena's interior, nor do they understand how many mysteries are hidden within.

...…

October 27th.

Sky Arena.

Six hundred and eighteenth layer.

Today is the day Lin Guang had scheduled to use the Upgrade Secret Realm.

Under Jing Ning's guidance, Lin Guang and Lisa took the Dragon God and arrived at this layer together with her.

On the surface, this doesn't seem like a secret realm layer with not much particularity, merely a plain designated as a Spirit Beast conservation area.

The dense and towering woods combined with the frigid climate make it quite suitable for Spirit Beasts of the ice and wood attributes to inhabit.

Within the snow-covered coniferous forest, many nimble Spirit Beasts like small ferrets and rabbits darted about, coupled with agile predators hunting, forming a self-contained ecosystem.

There's scarcely any sign of human intervention here, with tourist entry largely forbidden, leaving only a few artificial structures. The Spirit Masters stationed here are either administrators or researchers studying specific Spirit Beasts, who have established observation posts for research purposes.

However, Jing Ning bringing them here suggests that this layer is not that simple.

Upon getting off the car and leaving the simple-stationed car stop, Jing Ning led them through the wind and snow, rapidly flashing to the deepest part of this layer.

The very center of a circular lake whose surface was frozen over.

Jing Ning, dressed in her black martial arts ensemble, tapped the ice surface with the sole of her lady's leather shoe, making a knocking sound.

Faintly beneath the ice surface, at the bottom of the water, there seemed to be a black silhouette.

"The entrance to the secret realm is right here."

"Huh, here?"

Lisa looked around with some confusion. "But, didn't we say we're going to the Spiritual Element Secret Realm?"

—At the moment, the trio stood amidst the wind and snow, the blizzard winds rushing past them but unable to breach the range of their Spiritual Power barrier.

Clearly, this environment looked more suitable for Ice Element Spirit Masters and Spirit Beasts.

Jing Ning raised her head, looking at the simulated sky of this layer enveloped by dark clouds, said with a smile: "That's because the peculiarity of the 618th layer is not in the surface or environment."

"Here, like the 999th layer's [Artificial Divine Domain], is also a special node of the Sky Arena's Spirit Rune Array."

"During the array's operation, an extra mysterious energy emerges at this node. Although not much, it has the nature to raise life levels, so it was later converted into a Middle Tier Level Upgrade Secret Realm, opening every few years."

"It's located in the deepest part of this layer, normally requiring proof to enter."

Jing Ning took out a purely white Dragon Scale token: "Be ready."

Lin Guang held onto Lisa's hand.

The next moment.

The hidden gateway beneath the water's surface suddenly opened.

Kala—

The ice surface was abruptly shattered, yet below wasn't water but a void-like vacuity.

For an instant, an inexplicable aura emanated from this void, entering Lin Guang's perception range, as if a gentle breeze brushed against their bodies.