AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash

Hearing the words "Mystic Ground," Mingxi's eyes instantly lit up like two light bulbs.

Mystic Ground and Secret Realm are also 'special products' of this world; both exist in different dimensions, similar to continental fragments, where not only Transcendent creatures live, but also various rare materials can be found.

Fundamentally, the former differs from the latter in only one aspect: whether the space is stable and solidified.

To put it simply, a Mystic Ground is a space that has been completely stabilized within a fixed anchor point.

Unless it completely collapses, it will always be there, opening at specific times.

Some Mystic Grounds can even be opened and entered at any time.

However, a Secret Realm is different; it appears randomly, its location is not fixed, and its appearance time is even less fixed.

If it appears this time, it's uncertain if it will appear next time.

But Secret Realms don't just wander all over the world; generally, their movement range isn't too outrageous, staying within a relatively controllable scope.

That's why various countries can number the Secret Realms that have appeared within their respective territories.

In fact, Mystic Grounds are usually smaller than Secret Realms.

As mentioned above, a Mystic Ground is a space that has been stabilized and solidified.

Look closely, it's 'been'.

Before a Mystic Ground became a Mystic Ground, it was a Secret Realm.

It was humans who used Transcendent creatures with spatial abilities to forcibly stabilize the Secret Realm, thereby solidifying it in one location.

But how easy is it to use spatial power to forcibly fix a drifting continent?

Even Transcendent creatures that have evolved to Venerable-level might need to exhaust all their energy, or even pay a higher price, to barely achieve it.

Therefore, currently, only small Secret Realms can be forcibly stabilized.

The largest existing Mystic Ground is the Dragon God Mystic Ground under the jurisdiction of the Alliance Beast Center, with a total area of 3.26 million square kilometers.

"The Changheng Secret Realm is a very small Mystic Ground, with a total land and water area of only about 120,000 square kilometers."

Mingxi thought to herself, 120,000, that's equivalent to the total area of a large province in her previous world; how is that small?

People in this world are really exaggerating.

"Six years ago, after discussion by the board of directors, the chairman agreed that the exploration slots for the Changheng Secret Realm would henceforth be distributed as a special benefit for group employees, stipulating that any full-time employee who has worked for a company under the group for 5 years or more can receive such an invitation card."

"Of course, not everyone holding an invitation card can enter the Mystic Ground. After all, the Mystic Ground is only so tiny, so it's certainly impossible to let so many people in."

"So, they also need to participate in an internal selection competition. Only those who rank in the top twenty in the selection competition can truly get the hand Card to {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} enter the Mystic Ground, and all gains within the Mystic Ground belong to the individual."

At this point, Shao Bihua pouted and couldn't help but complain:

"I suspect the reason our chairman is so generous is probably because all the good stuff in the Mystic Ground has already been plundered."

Mingxi thought to herself, that's true, but Aunt Shao, saying that in front of Grandma and me, aren't you afraid we'll find this gift too shabby?

Of course, she definitely wouldn't despise it.

It's the thought that counts, after all.

"Aunt Shao, so you want me to participate in this selection competition?"

A Mystic Ground, she was absolutely interested.

Even if it was truly as Shao Bihua complained, that all the good things in the Changheng Secret Realm had been plundered, they couldn't have even pulled up every wild blade of grass, could they?

It's still that saying, even a mosquito's leg is meat.

She can do it!

"Yes, our internal selection competition stipulates that only Beast Tamers under 17 years old with household registration in the Jianghuai region can participate. It uses a 1v1 pet beast battle mode. You meet both conditions, so it's perfectly suitable for you to participate."

No wonder Shao Bihua gave her the invitation card.

Beast Tamers under 17 years old, no matter how powerful, can only cultivate one Advanced Level pet beast.

She and Golden Yuanbao were not without a chance to fight.

This was indeed a thank-you gift that was hard to refuse.

Regardless of whether she could ultimately obtain the hand Card to enter the Mystic Ground, she could at least gain experience battling Beast Tamers of the same age through the selection competition.

No matter what, she would benefit greatly.

However, she remembered that Shao Dingding was also exactly 16 this year, and she was also a Beast Tamer, so this spot should rightfully belong to her.

Perhaps sensing what she was struggling with, Shao Dingding smiled and said straightforwardly:

"Actually, in previous years, my mom would just sell this invitation card online. This year, she saw that I contracted Deng Gela, so she was going to let me play around.

But you also know that Deng Gela is just a battle-weakling; we'd be out in the first round anyway."

"So, Xiao Xi, you don't need to worry about me."

Since you've said so, if I refuse, wouldn't I seem pretentious?

Mingxi decisively reached out and took the invitation card, looking at the mother and daughter opposite her and said:

"Then I will accept it graciously. Thank you, Aunt Shao, thank you, Sister Dingding."

Shao Bihua waved her hand happily: "You're welcome, you're welcome. It's good as long as you like it, Xiao Xi."

From beginning to end, Ruan Qinghe did not express an opinion, letting her granddaughter make her own decisions.

The old lady was very clear-headed.

After seeing off Shao Bihua and her daughter, Mingxi and her Grandma cooked dinner together.

There was no pickled fresh bamboo shoot soup, nor Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.

There were only the simplest two dishes and one soup, but the grandmother and granddaughter ate very contentedly.

After dinner, Mingxi chatted with the old lady for a while longer, then the old lady sent her off to do her homework.

It was not even 8 o'clock when she finished her homework, so Mingxi opened her computer to look up information about the Changheng Secret Realm.

As one of the prominent large group companies in the Jianghuai region, the existence of the Changheng Secret Realm was no longer a secret.

【The Changheng Secret Realm, originally Secret Realm No. 83, belongs to Dragonflower Country. Its solidification was completed in August of X436. In December of the following year after solidification, it was auctioned as the grand finale of the Prosperous Luck Auction House's annual auction. The starting bid was 1 billion star coins, and it was ultimately successfully acquired by Changheng Group for 36 billion star coins, thus being named.】

Mingxi quickly calculated.

The Changheng Secret Realm has been solidified for almost a hundred years now.

【The Changheng Secret Realm is fixed to open on April 30th each year. The laws within the Mystic Ground are incomplete, which means that only Beast Tamers of E-level and below (including E-level) and their pet beasts can enter.】

No wonder the selection competition had an age limit.

It turns out Beast Tamers above E-level simply couldn't enter this Mystic Ground.

It's also not difficult to understand why Changheng Group's internal selection competition only limited age, but not Beast Tamer levels.

Because Dragonflower Country simply couldn't find a D-level Beastmaster under 17 years old.

Instead of limiting Beast Tamer levels, it's better to directly limit age. This not only gives opportunities to young people but also minimizes the appearance of unnecessary trouble.

After all, it's common knowledge that adults are definitely more cunning and sly than adolescents, and more likely to do things that violate morals and laws.

Changheng Group is willing to open the Mystic Ground to the public, but certainly not willing to let people destroy it.

So, setting such a threshold is perfectly normal.