Fantasy: I! Adding Friends And Become Stronger!

In his interactions with the Shi brothers, Meng Changqing often heard them mention their mother.

He couldn't help but wonder what kind of powerhouse she might be.

"Alright, it's time to head to the central sea region." Meng Changqing smiled and said, "Of course, you can choose to stay here if you prefer."

"I want to go! I want to go!" Mo Xiaoyu raised her hand excitedly. "I still want to watch Uncle Meng sweep through all six directions, dominate the eight realms, and be invincible!"

"Crushing all these so-called world-defying geniuses underfoot!"

Hearing this, Meng Changqing couldn't help but laugh.

"You sure have a lot of faith in me, but you should know that these people are incredibly strong." Meng Changqing gently patted her head.

"They'll all end up as Uncle Meng's defeated foes!" Mo Xiaoyu tilted her head up, her gaze full of admiration, her eyes practically shaped like little Meng Changqings.

It seemed he had completely won over this little girl. Meng Changqing shook his head inwardly.

He still remembered how Mo Xiaoyu acted when they first met — hands on her hips, acting like the boss of the world.

The others also expressed their intent to head to the central region. Missing out on such an event would be a real pity.

Even if they couldn't participate directly, just observing from afar would be worth it.

The Wish Spirit Fruit lay at the heart of the Wild Sea.

There stood an island — not too large, not too small — unremarkable compared to the locations of other second tier divine objects.

Yet, this island was the most significant.

On the island grew a towering, ancient tree.

Its thick branches extended into the void like a coiling dragon, sprawling across the sky and covering an area of hundreds of miles.

Curiously, the tree bore no leaves, looking entirely barren.

Its vitality seemed faint, so much so that it should have been impossible to sustain such an enormous structure.

Yet, the ancient tree stood eternally, unyielding.

The next day, marking the final day of the Wild Sea sea exploration, many powerful individuals had already arrived.

Each of them gazed at the massive tree with fervent anticipation.

According to tradition, the Divine Spirit Tree would bear fruit at noon today.

Afterward, it would enter a century-long dormancy to recover.

"Even among third tier treasures, the Wish Spirit Fruit is second to none," someone said.

"Its miraculous effects are said to bestow blessings directly from Heavenly Dao!"

"I've heard similar tales from my family elders," another person added. "But the effects of such divine objects are notoriously difficult to inherit, especially the Wish Spirit Fruit. Almost no one succeeds."

"The higher the grade of a divine object, the more powerful its effects. But also, the harder they are to inherit."

"If it were easy, would the Holy Lands have let us Four Regions have the desolate sea? They would've claimed it long ago."

Someone snorted in response. The surrounding people immediately grew tense.

"Watch your tongue if you value your life!" someone warned.

The man opened his mouth but closed it again in frustration.

The Four Holy Lands governed the rules, upheld the heavens' will, and maintained the world's balance.

Defiance meant death.

The truth was, there were plenty of ancient locations for cultivation within the world.

Yet, the Central Province had given very few of them to the Four Regions over the years.

Even now, such opportunities were dwindling. The official explanation?

Ancient sites' rules had changed, and the intervals between openings had grown longer.

Who could say if that was true? With no way to verify it, what the Holy Lands declared became law.

After waiting several generations, the Four Regions finally gained access to the Wild Sea.

However, it was considered one of the lesser opportunities, with only a small number of divine objects available.

Although it did contain the top-tier Wish Spirit Fruit, its effects were almost impossible to inherit.

For most, it might as well not exist!

If not for the vast and mysterious energy contained within the fruit, it might have been better to settle for a second tier divine object.

"By the way, has anyone seen any demonic cultivators recently?"

"None."

"From the beginning until now, not a single one."

"These vermin are good at hiding. They're surely plotting something."

"I heard the demonic path has produced a few top-tier geniuses in recent years, especially someone from the Eternal Nether Sect."

Hearing this, the crowd immediately paid attention.

Not everyone had access to such detailed information.

Among the Ten Great Demonic Sects, the Eternal Nether Sect was considered the strongest.

During every purge by the Sacred Lands, they bore the brunt of the assault, ensuring the demonic path's survival.

This allowed the demonic path to retain its vitality and rise again when the time was right.

The Eternal Nether Sect's signature technique, the Eternal Nether Reincarnation Sutra, was among the world's most powerful.

It was considered a Holy Land-level inheritance.

In theory, had the Holy Lands not monopolized most resources, the Eternal Nether Sect might have risen to become a demonic Holy Land.

But the lack of resources only widened the gap.

"Once, someone from the sect appeared in the Divine Blade Sea of the Central Province. They fought and narrowly defeated the eighth-ranked disciple of the Zhengyi Holy Land."

"That was over a decade ago. Who knows how strong they are now?"

The crowd gasped in unison.

The disciples of Holy Lands represented the pinnacle of their generation, especially those ranked within the top ten. To defeat one, even narrowly, was a monumental feat.

"Such figures likely wouldn't bother coming to the Wild Sea. With the Eternal Nether Sect's resources, they can provide their own top-tier divine objects."

"Even if they come, there's nothing to fear. The Four Regions' top geniuses are no pushovers. Don't underestimate yourselves. The Central Province's strength lies in its deep heritage, not its younger generation."

Hearing this, the crowd nodded.

After all, even the most exceptional youth had limits — one could see their peak.

It was the elders, with their unfathomable depths and countless years of cultivation, who were truly terrifying.

"Look!"

"Someone's coming!"

"It's… Han Yuanzhen!"

Following the commotion, everyone turned to see a figure approaching from the distance.

Walking on air, with a long blade on his back, his cold and stern expression was like eternal frost.

It was Han Yuanzhen, the former champion of the Northern Plains!

To many, he was the strongest of the Four Regions.