Walking on the wide, bright streets, Shen Qian could immediately sense that the city was filled with various formations.
In addition to the ubiquitous lighting and hydration systems, there are dust removal arrays every few dozen meters underfoot, as well as water replenishment arrays to maintain the vitality of the roadside greenery, and so on.
Upon hearing Shen Qian's question, Zheng Lei smiled and said, "Theoretically speaking, the existence of the subterranean city is to serve the mountains and seas."
"This city is a perfect combination of modern technology and advanced martial arts, but there are always many things that ordinary people need to do."
"There are three kinds of origins for ordinary people. Some are the offspring of martial artists who have lived underground for a long time. After paying high birth costs and several times the residence fees of martial artists, the descendants of martial artists can also live here."
"Many of the descendants of the mountains and seas received their preschool education here, and only left the Earth's core when they turned sixteen and had to take the martial arts college entrance examination."
"The incredibly rich spiritual energy and high-level martial arts resources at the Earth's core are invaluable for martial arts enlightenment. Records from the subterranean city show that some people even condensed their primordial energy at the age of four..."
Zheng Lei paused here, as if he had suddenly remembered something, and gave Chen Qian a strange look.
"Consort Ning?"
Shen Qianye narrowed his eyes.
The fact that one could condense vital energy at the age of four is absolutely astonishing. In Shen Qian's memories, only Consort Ning had done so.
Although the details of the Nine Heavens War were not made public, they were widely known within certain circles.
It's no secret that the youngest daughter of the Duke of Tianning died at the hands of Shen Qian.
Before sinking, I was still marveling at how extraordinary the resources Wang Hou possessed were, because becoming a beginner martial artist at the age of four was definitely against the laws of martial arts. Now I understand the inside story.
With the incredibly rich spiritual energy at the earth's core, coupled with the support of resources and the enhancement of talent, it is indeed possible to break the mold.
Shen Qian suddenly realized that it was probably not just Ning Zhaoyi, but also the scions of many martial arts families and large corporations who were born here.
He felt somewhat conflicted.
Is that unfair?
That doesn't seem like a fair way to put it.
The benefits they enjoy are the result of their parents' hard work and sacrifices.
Moreover, as Zheng Lei just mentioned, if the descendants of Shan Hai want to stay here, the daily residence fee would probably be hundreds of thousands, which is not something that ordinary families can afford.
"However, some martial artists from the mountains and seas, despite their abilities, still choose to raise their offspring on the surface. These people believe that a more arduous environment is necessary to cultivate stronger martial artists. This rule was debated in the Council of Kings and Marquises for a period of time back then."
Zheng Lei smiled and said, "The second part consists of ordinary people who have made outstanding contributions to modern society. Some are alchemists, while others are scientists, biologists, and so on. After reaching a certain age, they will be granted permanent residency in the underground city."
"Even if they are limited by their talent and cannot break through, living here can at least prolong their lives."
Shen Qian nodded; there was nothing to argue about on that point.
Although the mainstream of this society is to respect martial arts, it is undeniable that martial arts practitioners are not omnipotent.
The strength of an ethnic group is inevitably the result of the joint efforts of many schools of thought.
"The last group of ordinary people mainly consists of the service personnel in the subterranean cities. These people are all highly skilled professionals selected through multiple rounds of screening. Even if they are just ordinary waiters in restaurants, they would at least be star chefs on the surface..."
While listening to Zheng Lei's explanation, Shen Qian looked around at the shops on both sides of the street, which offered a dazzling array of goods.
Weapons, armor, spirit stones, monsters, advanced martial arts halls, and intelligence centers that appear every few hundred meters—aside from a very small number of commercial centers that cater to daily needs, the vast majority of shops are closely related to martial arts.
Shen Qian had no doubt that he could buy all the resources related to martial arts by simply walking down one street here.
Most importantly, there is an atmosphere here. Whether it is in the public areas on the street, in the martial arts halls, or even on the mountaintop or in the center of the lake, you can see martial artists from all over the world comprehending and discussing the Dao.
Every few steps, one could feel the Daoist aura, strong or weak, surging from a certain direction.
This is definitely the closest place to a so-called holy land of martial arts that I have ever seen before.
"Congratulations to the Mountain and Sea Warrior No. 1 for breaking through the fourth forbidden realm with his physical body on the sixty-seventh floor of the Myriad Manifestations Tower. He is hereby awarded a one-year residency right in the Earth's Core!"
Just then, a clear and pleasant female voice rang in Shen Qian's ears, and at the same time, many electronic screens on the street displayed a series of broadcast messages.
Many martial artists from the surrounding mountains and seas stopped and stood there, and then a commotion broke out.
"Has someone else trespassed into the forbidden area?"
"They seem to be martial artists from overseas, actually managing to reach the sixty-seventh floor of the Myriad Manifestations Tower..."
"A year's residency permit? That's an absolute steal!"
"In the Four Forbidden Realms, once you break through to the King or Marquis level, you can definitely be granted the title of Marquis. Compared to that, a year's residency in the Earth's Core is nothing, right?"
Hearing the heated discussion around him, Shen Qian was taken aback.
Four prohibitions!
Vientiane Tower!
Any keyword was enough to stir his thoughts.
Looking at the martial artists from the mountains and seas coming and going around him, Shen Qian suddenly became lost in thought.
A martial artist at the fourth level of the Mountain and Sea Realm, assuming the opponent is also at the first level of the Mountain and Sea Realm, would have a combat power of at least 50,000.
Even compared to before it sank, it wouldn't be too far off.
However, if the opponent is at the fourth level of the Mountain and Sea Realm or even higher, then even if one were to sink before them, they would not dare to say that victory is certain.
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