This successful clear rewarded far more than expected.
Blackstone Hammer King obtained a brand-new loot item.
[Super Blacklight Serum] — White-grade consumable. Greatly enhances physical strength. The enhancement effect varies depending on race and aptitude. Permanently increases an Adventurer's Stamina Cap by 1 point. Effective only once.
"Now this… is truly a top-tier item!" said Ran Tianyun.
Feng Zhongmian commented, "The Super Blacklight Serum is probably the special potion used to create the Blacklight World's super soldiers."
The Adventurers were immediately excited.
Silly Goose exclaimed, "Those super soldiers are Tier 2 beings! They heal almost as fast as Blacklight creatures, and they're insanely strong and durable. They can tear apart Blacklight Hunters one-on-one!"
Iron Heart added, "For Adventurers, the greatest value isn't even the physical enhancement. It's the permanent +1 Stamina increase. That alone can significantly improve our combat output in Dungeons!"
However, some Adventurers were worried.
Mao Mengmeng asked nervously, "The Black Watch super soldiers are all huge. If we inject this serum, are we going to turn into giant muscle monsters too?!"
Violent Little Chicken's eyes lit up.
"What's wrong with that?"
Pear Blossom Rain Falling immediately objected.
"No way. I don't want to become some ugly muscle freak!"
After all, people like Violent Little Chicken were in the minority. Most female Adventurers cared about their appearance and temperament. If using the potion meant turning into a two-meter-tall bodybuilder, they would rather not use it at all.
"Everyone calm down. Hammer Bro, let me volunteer and test the serum first!"
"Hammer Bro is righteous!"
"Hurry up and use it!"
Without hesitation, Blackstone Hammer King opened the syringe and injected himself.
"So? Any reaction?"
"At first, nothing… wait, suddenly I feel warm!"
After injecting the serum, a wave of heat spread throughout his body. The sensation felt similar to sitting in a sauna, but there was no discomfort at all.
Two or three minutes later, everything returned to normal.
[You used "Super Blacklight Serum"!]
[You obtained the Tier 2 Talent Skill "Blacklight Enhancement"!]
Blackstone Hammer King's appearance showed no obvious changes, but every inch of his muscles and every cell in his body felt filled with explosive power. He felt like he could punch a cow to death with one hit.
"So that's how it works!"
After carefully sensing the effects, Blackstone Hammer King said:
"Everyone, don't worry. This potion seems to have been modified by the power of laws, so there are no side effects. The enhancement becomes a permanent Talent Skill in our skill bar!"
"What?!"
"A Talent?!"
"This is basically a Talent Potion!"
"Holy crap, that's insanely valuable!"
---
What exactly is a talent?
Simply put, talents are innate abilities.
Common talents are divided into two categories: racial talents and aptitude talents.
For example, Thunder Lizardmen are naturally capable of manipulating lightning, while higher-grade Dragon races possess strong elemental resistance by birth. These are racial talents tied directly to their species.
Aptitude talents, on the other hand, are more individualized. Just as humans differ in height and intelligence, races across the Chaos Continent also have varying levels of innate potential.
Take Elves for example.
Compared to ordinary Elves, Nancilia possessed significantly stronger aptitude-based talents.
The biggest difference between talents and skills is this:
Skills can be learned through training. Talents cannot.
That alone made talents vastly rarer and more valuable.
As a result, Talent Potions were far more precious than skill stones of the same tier.
Nancilia commented, "This 'Super Blacklight Serum' would be incredibly valuable for traditional cultivators or body-focused Adventurers."
Ran Tianyun quickly realized the same thing.
"Exactly. Some Secret Realms can produce similar items, but Talent Potions are usually Rare-grade or even Unique-grade treasures. Not only are they difficult to produce, but their quantities are also extremely limited."
Meanwhile, Miracle City's Super Blacklight Serum was merely a common consumable item.
What did that imply?
Mass production.
After Blackstone Hammer King obtained the first drop, the serum's drop rate in the Blacklight Secret Realm would significantly increase. At the same time, it would also unlock in the Secret Realm Shop, creating a stable supply source.
Whether for attracting Adventurers or recruiting natives from different races, this item alone was an incredibly powerful bargaining chip.
Ran Tianyun increasingly felt that Miracle City was overflowing with business opportunities.
Its Secret Realms were unbelievably exciting, and its resources were unlike anything he had ever seen before.
---
At this point, only around two hours remained before the Dungeon closed for the day, and the Adventurers' happy time was nearing its end. Most had already exhausted their stamina.
"I've actually spent this long inside Miracle City?"
Only now did Ran Tianyun realize that he had spent almost the entire day there, most of it simply watching Adventurers challenge Secret Realms.
He even had the strange feeling that time itself had been stolen.
What was going on?
Why did it feel like only a short while had passed?
Ran Tianyun admitted that he had become completely captivated by Miracle City.
The vast and mysterious world of Foreign Lands Chronicle ignited his imagination endlessly. He was fascinated by the lands where the Sui and Tang Dynasties existed and deeply moved by the Ten Divine Artifacts passed down through ancient Shenzhou.
At the same time, the blood-pumping excitement of Doomsday Frenzy was equally unforgettable. The stories of Aige and Wolf Uncle were overflowing with charisma and legendary atmosphere, while the image of Manhattan's nuclear explosion still lingered vividly in his mind.
Miracle City wasn't merely creating Secret Realms.
It was creating entire worlds.
Who could possibly resist the temptation of exploring a new world and experiencing a completely different life?
Ran Tianyun finally understood why Adventurers who visited Miracle City became hopelessly addicted, almost as though they were poisoned, suffering withdrawal symptoms every time they left the Dungeon.
And not just Adventurers.
Wasn't he, a dignified Territory Lord, experiencing the same thing?
For decades, Ran Tianyun had worked tirelessly handling diplomacy and internal affairs. Yet now, he didn't want to return at all. He only wanted to stay here drinking cola and watching people clear Secret Realms.
Managing a territory suddenly felt meaningless.
How could it possibly compare to this?
After working hard for decades, wasn't he allowed to enjoy himself for a single day?
Of course, he immediately convinced himself otherwise.
This wasn't indulgence.
This was "in-depth frontline investigation."
Only by truly understanding Miracle City could he better cooperate with it in the future.
---
Unexpectedly, he soon received an emergency message from Tianyun City.
Though dissatisfied, he couldn't ignore matters involving his territory. Left with no choice, he ended his avatar projection and returned his consciousness to his main body.
The next moment, inside the magnificent palace-like Territory Lord's Mansion, Ran Tianyun slowly opened his eyes.
Looking around at Tianyun City's meticulously crafted Secret Realms—once his pride—he suddenly felt an overwhelming emptiness.
"Tianyun City's Secret Realms… still have a lot of room for improvement."
Lord Qi truly was an unprecedented genius.
Not only did he possess countless powerful materials, but his personal talent as a Territory Lord was also extraordinary.
His Secret Realm mechanics, design philosophy, and innovative ideas contained countless things worth learning from.
Ran Tianyun never believed Tianyun City would compete against Miracle City.
The two weren't even operating on the same level.
On the contrary, Miracle City's rise would only make Tianyun City stronger.
After all, Miracle City would attract enormous traffic, and any overflow would naturally benefit Tianyun City as well.
Even if Miracle City completely monopolized Blackstone Town's Adventurer traffic, it wouldn't matter much. A mature Tier 4 territory generally maintained at least four Adventurer Towns, meaning four separate traffic sources. Losing one wouldn't threaten its foundation.
Meanwhile, Tianyun City could still learn from Miracle City's innovations and become even more competitive.
Not to mention the vast quantity of high-end resources Miracle City would bring, which could elevate Tianyun City's trade to entirely new heights.
"Send Ignis to see me."
"Yes, my lord."
After giving the order, Ran Tianyun activated his Territory Lord panel and opened the territory's online market.
Veteran Underground Cities like Tianyun City no longer operated in beginner markets. Over the years, through various facilities and channels, they had unlocked six online markets.
He quickly posted a message in the trading channel.
[URGENT: Seeking a Secret Crystal containing the "Adventurer Avatar Technique." Anyone with stock, please contact me privately. Price negotiable!]
The Adventurer Avatar Technique was a Tier 4 Territory Lord skill.
After learning it through a Secret Crystal, a Territory Lord could consume mental power to create an Adventurer avatar.
This avatar would be one tier lower than the user's actual level and would possess an Adventurer Soul, allowing it to enter Secret Realms.
Under normal circumstances, this skill was considered fairly useless.
Tier 4 Secret Crystals were already incredibly rare, and the Adventurer Avatar Technique was a Rare-grade Tier 4 crystal. Both its acquisition difficulty and learning requirements were extremely high.
Territory Lords already had access to many clone-type skills. Creating an Adventurer avatar had little practical value. At best, it allowed Territory Lords to personally experience Secret Realms from an Adventurer's perspective to improve their own designs.
But Territory Lords were incredibly busy.
Who had time to personally play through Secret Realms?
In most cases, it was more efficient to conduct internal testing by hiring Adventurers and collecting feedback data.
Precisely because of this, the skill had always been considered impractical.
Ran Tianyun himself had never thought about learning it before.
But now?
He desperately wanted it.
Even if he had to pay double or triple the price, he intended to obtain it.
---
Just as he finished posting the request, an old man carrying a long staff entered the hall.
"My Lord."
The old man was short in stature and dressed in magnificent robes. He had fox ears and six tails.
Ignis.
The leader of Tianyun Territory's Four Heroes.
A Tier 5 expert from the Six-Tailed Flame Fox race.
Ignis was not only Tianyun City's strongest hero, but also wise, meticulous, loyal, and dependable. Ran Tianyun trusted him more than anyone else and entrusted him with overseeing Tianyun City's internal affairs.
Ignis reported:
"My Lord, we have received protests from Fengyun City, Huanyue City, and Wanjian City. The three Territory Lords have expressed strong dissatisfaction with our change in partnership and demand immediate communication…"
So it was about that.
Ran Tianyun wasn't surprised.
Fengyun City, Huanyue City, and Wanjian City were Tianyun City's three primary allies.
Originally, Tianyun City had maintained four strategic partners. However, due to unresolved trade and tariff disputes, Ran Tianyun had replaced one of them with Miracle City.
Naturally, the other three territories were extremely dissatisfied.
A territory was essentially equivalent to a kingdom.
Every kingdom possessed a highly complex political and economic structure.
The longer such a system existed, the stronger its inertia became, and the more deeply entrenched its web of interests grew.
For decades, Tianyun City had maintained stable relations with its allies. These territories not only cooperated closely with Tianyun City but also used it as a trade hub to conduct secondary commerce with one another.
Because of this, Tianyun City suddenly shutting down one Territory Gate and opening it to a mere Tier 1 territory seemed utterly incomprehensible to the others.
Thus, the three Territory Lords personally voiced their dissatisfaction.
Such direct protests between Territory Lords were rare and already counted as a major diplomatic incident.
Ignis therefore appeared deeply worried.
"Tianyun City has extensive strategic ties with its allies. Perhaps we should calm them as soon as possible…"
"No need."
Ran Tianyun suddenly revealed a domineering side rarely seen.
"To whom Tianyun City opens its Territory Gate is entirely Tianyun City's business. Other Territory Lords have no right to interfere."
Ignis still looked troubled.
"But…"
Ran Tianyun interrupted him.
"Ignis, how long have you served me?"
Ignis froze briefly before replying respectfully:
"My Lord, I have followed you for twenty-two years."
He immediately understood the hidden meaning behind the question.
After serving the Lord for over twenty years, how could he fail to understand Ran Tianyun's personality?
The man was usually cautious and steady, yet now he was willing to offend three major territories just to support a Tier 1 territory.
There had to be a reason.
"They may blame me now," Ran Tianyun said calmly, "but it won't be long before they come begging us instead."
He continued:
"Ignis, come with me to Miracle City tomorrow. Once you see it yourself, you'll understand why I'm so confident."
Ignis was stunned.
The Lord's confidence clearly came from somewhere substantial.
But hearing that such confidence originated from a tiny Dungeon city still felt difficult to comprehend.
Was Miracle City truly that extraordinary?
---
At that very moment, the Chaos Tide receded.
As the day's business hours ended, every citizen of Miracle City clearly felt subtle changes occurring throughout the territory.
[Notification!]
[Territory advancement complete!]
[Current territory rank: Tier 2!]
Nancilia, Iris, Kimba, Rook, and the other native residents could clearly sense that the concentration of spiritual energy, life force, and natural energies within the territory had rapidly increased.
This greatly benefited traditional cultivators.
The richer the spiritual energy, the faster cultivation progressed.
Meanwhile, the Adventurers of Miracle City revealed expressions filled with anticipation and nervousness.
Mao Mengmeng grinned.
"Hehe, congratulations! Miracle City has officially advanced into a Tier 2 territory!"
Lonely Swordsman said, "It should've broken through long ago."
Feng Zhongmian nodded.
"This means the territory will continue expanding, and the Third Secret Realm probably isn't far away!"
The advancement brought enormous benefits.
Only after reaching Tier 2 could the Second Main City officially activate and a Second Adventurer Town open.
This meant higher-tier resources, stronger native recruits, and a dramatic increase in Adventurer numbers and territory income.
But the challenges were equally obvious.
Gloomy Valley and Greenwater Marsh had now both become Tier 2 regions.
As a result, Thunder Marsh could now directly deploy troops against Miracle City.
Furthermore, once territories connected, the previous law restrictions disappeared. Both sides effectively entered home-ground combat conditions.
The Thunder City Lord could now directly deploy Tier 3 power into Miracle City.
Likewise, Miracle City's high-tier units could invade Thunder City directly.
The Adventurers immediately became serious.
"This day has finally come."
"According to reliable intelligence, Thunder City has been sharpening its blades for a long time."
"They've been waiting for the territorial restrictions to disappear before launching a full-scale attack!"
However, Bihua looked excited instead of worried.
"Excellent! I was worried I wouldn't get a chance to test the Sakura Dragon's power. Today, I'll use these Lizardmen as test subjects while farming military merit!"
The other Adventurers immediately became excited as well.
The Sakura Dragon was a rare Tier 3 spirit.
When had Blackstone Town Adventurers ever witnessed such a creature before?
Previously, Miracle City and Thunder Marsh were separated by territorial restrictions, preventing Bihua from deploying Tier 3 power there.
Now the restriction was gone.
Everyone wanted to witness the Sakura Dragon's true combat strength.
---
At that moment, Qi Ji appeared and contracted another batch of Adventurers.
Miracle City now had more than three hundred contracted Adventurers.
Among them were two Tier 3 Adventurers:
Bihua, who had contracted the rare spirit Sakura Dragon.
And Three Bamboo, who had contracted the rare spirit Headless.
These two formed Miracle City's current core combat strength.
There were also over forty Tier 2 Adventurers with a wide variety of contracted spirits, including Tyrants, Nemeses, G3 and G4 units, Red Oni, Ashina Generals, Ashina Seven Spears, Blacklight Hunters, and more.
The diversity was astonishing.
Miracle City's overall combat strength had already become extremely formidable.
As for the monster camp's troop reserves, they were equally impressive.
Although Qi Ji had not summoned any Tier 3 troops, the territory already possessed over one hundred Tier 2 combat units, including forty Flamethrower and Rocket Launcher Nemeses alone—more than enough to create overwhelming suppressive firepower.
And that didn't even include the native citizens.
Among the eight or nine thousand Flower Demons, Dwarves, and Kobolds, many combat-capable individuals could be mobilized.
If armed with Miracle City's firearms and ammunition, that force alone would be sufficient to guarantee the territory's safety at this stage.
So what about Thunder City's strength?
According to Qi Ji's estimates, Thunder City possessed one Tier 3 combat unit and roughly eighty Tier 2 units, with around ten having reached late Tier 2.
Miracle City had already caught up to—and surpassed—Thunder City militarily.
There was virtually no suspense in this battle.
Qi Ji didn't even plan to personally deploy the territory's summoned troops.
He intended to let the Adventurers handle everything freely.
As long as Green Swamp City and Greenwater Marsh remained secure…
As long as the enemy failed to reach Gloomy Valley…
Qi Ji wouldn't personally enter the battlefield.
Instead, he would treat this conflict as a practical training exercise for the Adventurers' recent growth.
"Long live the Lord!"
"Please leave it to us, My Lord!"
"We absolutely won't disgrace Miracle City!"
"Today, we'll show these Dark Species bumpkins the true power of Miracle City!"
The Adventurers were already eager for battle.
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