Arthur had a point about the usefulness of preventive care, but Thor still had something to complain about.
Thor said, "But the sect is already acting as if they are under attack all the time. I know that prevention is better than cure, but the sect is already spending a lot of spirit stones to protect the location of the entrance, and I dare say that the amount they are spending is more than what it would cost to actually defend the entrance from attacks."
Arthur disagreed. He said, "First of all, I doubt they are spending more resources now than it takes to defend the entrances. We can't know that with certainty until the entrances are being attacked."
"Secondly, even if they are actually spending more resources than it will take to defend the entrances, I still think it is worth it because the secret realm is the foundation of the sect."
"The secret realm within the sect is where we earn most of our energy stones. It also provides the only sustainable environment where foundation establishment cultivators can break through to the golden core."
"If we can't spend some money to hide the entrances to the secret realm and lose the secret realm one day, then it will cost us way more than we are spending now."
Thor couldn't argue with that, so he said, "Maybe you're right, but I still think what we are doing is excessive. After all, no one is even stealing the smaller secret realms under our control. I think the odds of someone stealing the large rank 4 secret realms is too low."
Arthur shook his head again and said, "No matter how low the odds are or how small the chances are, as long as there is a possibility of it happening, it is possible for it to happen."
"If we follow your plan for efficiency, we will be able to save a lot of resources that would be otherwise spent on maintaining the large energy shield around the sect. But if we lose the main secret realm, then no amount of resources we have will be able to make up for it."
Thor argued again, "But we are so strong. Who is capable of taking away control of something that belongs to us? Who are we guarding against every hour of every day?"
"Before you answer, consider this. Can we defeat someone capable of breaking through the entrance of the secret realm into the inner sect and stealing the control of the secret realm from right underneath our nose?"
"If they can attack our base, defeat us, and snatch control of it from us, maybe we should just give up control of the secret realm without a fight. Don't you think such a fight will be meaningless?"
Thor asked a lot of good questions, and Arthur had a lot to say about them. Unfortunately, they couldn't argue for long because they didn't have to wait for long. Everyone had entered the secret realm, and the elder in charge rose to address everyone.
The elder in charge of the group this time was Elder Storm Hawk, so she was the one who stood above everyone to address them. The two other elders flanked her on both sides.
She said, "You have 24 hours to hunt. Then you have one more hour to return here and leave the secret realm."
"I will advise you to begin your journey back before the 24 hours are over because if you are, for one reason or another, not here after 25 hours, you will be considered dead and will be left here in the secret realm for 90 years."
"You might survive 90 years here, but you will waste a lot of time. So instead of being greedy for a few more hours of hunting, you should return early and save yourself 90 years of suffering."
She paused and scanned everyone below with cold, glaring eyes as if to make sure they understood what she was saying before she continued.
"That being said, the disciples in the outer sect should focus on harvesting and hunting in the secret realm. You can choose to participate for the inheritance in the ruins, but I won't advise it."
"Instead of wasting your time pursuing something that has been out of reach of people in the second mortal coil for hundreds of years, you should focus on something you can acquire with a little effort."
"But if you are hell-bent on wasting your time, feel free to join us. No one will try to stop you."
"As for inner sect disciples, you are not allowed to harvest anything in the secret realm. You're too old for it."
Then she finished her address by saying, "That is all. You may go."
A second elder shouted to them, "Inner sect disciples, follow me to the ruin."
Everyone dispersed after that. Even the three elders went their separate ways.
Elder Storm Hawk went to harvest energy stones from the mines in the secret realm, while another elder went to harvest precious metals from other types of mines in the secret realm.
The third elder took the 100 inner sect disciples to the ruins at the center of the secret realm. Some outer sect disciples followed them, but they were less than 10 out of the total 1,000 disciples.Find* the tra*ns^l-a&ti^o*n on M-V-&L+E^M^P^Y$R-.
Most of the disciples left to hunt and gather precious resources. Arthur and Thor were among this batch of people.
But unlike previous times when they set out alone and ahead of the group at the fastest speed possible, this time they decided to take a short detour by following Princess and her boyfriend, Leroy.
Princess and Leroy sensed them, so they didn't go far before they confronted each other. Both of them stopped to stare at Arthur and Thor. Princess had a frown on his face, while Leroy seemed to be sighing for some reason.
Princess asked with a grumpy irritated tone as if she owed Thor money and didn't want to see him, "What do you want?"