He was thinking about the advantage that the Blood Skull sect had in terms of high end manpower as the 10 elders led the way to their entrance.
Then he began to think about how secret realms have more than one entrance. That was what was on his mind till they reached the entrance of the secret realm.
The entrance that the Blood Skull sect went to was a pond. There was an illusion and barrier array on top of the pond that prevented people from gaining access to it.
One of the elders of the Blood Skull sect used a key to open the arrays. Then the elders led the way by entering the pond.
Arthur had heard a thing or two about the entrances, so he wasn't shocked that the elders were trying to drown themselves. But he was full of anticipation to experience the process.
The 1,280 disciples followed the 10 elders into the pond. All of them used whatever means they deemed fit.
Some of them used energy shields to protect themselves from the water. But some didn't care about getting wet.
No matter what they did, though, no one managed to touch the bed of the pond. The pond itself was shallow, and even its bed could be seen from the surface. But no one managed to reach the bottom of the pond.
When anyone made contact with the bottom of the pond, they wouldn't stop. Instead, they would continue sinking.
For Arthur, it appeared that the bottom of the pond was very close and yet very far. No matter how deep he went, he couldn't reach its bottom. Then all of a sudden, his feet touched the ground and the water around him disappeared.
It wasn't just the water that disappeared. The whole pond had disappeared. Where there was once a pond, there was now a large forest with towering trees.
Arthur couldn't believe the drastic change. So he looked around to try and figure out what had happened.
But no matter how he looked, there was no pond around him. The only sign that anyone had been inside the pond was the water present on those who didn't protect themselves with energy shields.
As he looked, more and more people appeared seemingly out of thin air. But they appeared behind the people that had already arrived. So everyone was arranged exactly the way they had entered the pond.
What was extra weird was that there was a pond in front of the group. This pond was similar to the one they had entered just now.
The more Arthur looked at the pond in front of them, the more he was convinced that this pond looked exactly the same as the one they had just entered.
He thought to himself as his eyes widened, "No way."
He was further amazed when he looked around again and realized that the group looked as if they were about to enter the pond and repeat what they did earlier. The only difference was that there was a forest around them now.
He shook his head in wonder and said, "Incredible."
Thor also agreed. He nodded and said, "Truly incredible."
Thor was referring to the high mana concentration in the environment. The two of them were amazed by two different things, but they both looked at each other with shining eyes. This was a novel experience for them.
It was also a novel experience for many others. But the elders didn't let them relish this moment.
The leading elder from the Blood Skull sect said, "You have 24 hours. Make the best use of your time. After 25 hours and you're not here, it will be considered that you've died. So you will be left here."
After the elder finished speaking, the disciples formed groups or went out on their own. Everyone scattered quickly to make the best use of their time.
Goldwyn glanced provocatively at Arthur before he rushed away with Jason. Arthur rolled his eyes at him and took Thor with him.
Some disciples in the sect went to join the cultivation families behind them in order to work together with them. But Arthur didn't do that because he and the Dyson family aren't close and because the Dyson family isn't in the territory of the Blood Skull sect.
The Dyson family is under the Sword Way sect. They, the Edwin and the Milton families, are the three families working for the Sword Way sect. Since the Sword Way sect has a lot of disciples, he is sure that the Dyson will have all the help that they need.
As the two of them went on their way, Thor looked at the map in his hand and asked, "Where are we going?"
The map is a ball that showed the terrain of the secret realm. The ball also has a positioning system so they can tell where exactly they are in the secret realm.
Arthur replied to the question, "We are going to the territory of the beasts at the third mortal coil. We need their carcass and the medicinal plants that they are guarding."
Thor nodded and said with excitement, "Let me bring up the scanner."
According to the information that they have, the most valuable things in the secret realm are precious plants guarded by the most powerful beasts present in the secret realm.
The secret realm can only support beasts and plants at the third mortal coil. The beasts guard plants that can help them reach the third mortal coil.
It just so happened that humans can also use those plants. It is why everyone wants to get them.
There are many types of plants that can help those at the second mortal coil survive the dangerous breakthrough to the third mortal coil. But there are three things those plants have in common.
The first property is the ability to increase the quality or quantity of internal energy. This property enables beasts and humans to grow stronger faster.