A moment later, those who had failed their matches were sent to the infirmary, while the victorious participants passed the selection and reconvened in the observation room.
Six young cultivators sat on either side of the room.
They happened to form three pairs, hailing respectively from Xuanfeng Temple, Hidden Dragon Pool, and the Yue Cultivation Agency.
Liu Yuanjun and Li Feixia were senior and junior martial siblings. From Hidden Dragon Pool, the girl with long, straight black hair was named Su Renxue, and the red-haired young man clad in a leather jacket was Ji Yang. Though the girl appeared a head shorter and far younger, she was actually the senior sister.
Then came the Yue Cultivation Agency, where Yue Wen was the boss and Zhao Xing'er was his assistant.
"Welcome, everyone, to the latest wasteland zone exploration livestream project presented by Wangyou Media." He Caihua stood at the front, looking radiant and glamorous. With a wave of her hand, she brought up a presentation slide. "Next, I will walk you through the complete livestream plan."
A map appeared on the slide, outlining a massive dark-green expanse in the outskirts of Seventh City.
The image transitioned again to reveal detailed views of the site: towering trees tens of meters tall, dense thorn thickets, an eerie clearing littered with bones of unknown origin, a calm and sinister black swamp...
There were even images of demonic beasts crouching in the trees, on the prowl for prey.
The young cultivators watched in profound astonishment, as these scenes were utterly indistinguishable from a genuine wasteland zone. Having all seen footage brought back from beyond the perimeter by powerful figures, they were somewhat familiar with such environments.
It was certainly more than enough to dupe the viewers watching the livestream.
"The company spent six months crafting this simulated wasteland zone in the satellite city's outskirts. It spans roughly the size of a small town and seeks to replicate reality on a one-to-one scale," He Caihua explained with a smile. "It is thanks to this pilot program being hosted in Jiangcheng City that I was fortunate enough to become the team leader, and that all of you could participate.
"We have already registered this project with the Supernatural Management Bureau and secured official backing, so naturally we cannot openly deceive the public. We will disclose that this is a fully simulated wasteland zone, identical to the exterior in every way except for being contained within the barrier of the city defense formation. To some degree, you can treat this as a variety show.
"Our public promotional strategy centers on three treasure chests hidden by the company within this simulated wasteland zone. Led by me, our team of young cultivators must search for these chests over three days amidst the dangers of the simulated zone. Finding each chest earns a corresponding reward. As for the revenue-sharing plan, you've likely already heard: whether from the main official livestream or your personal channels, you will each receive a share of the viewer tips."
Listening to her presentation, Yue Wen couldn't help marveling at Wangyou Media's lavish expenditure.
Just building a simulated wasteland zone like this must have cost an astronomical fortune, and factoring in the upfront promotional expenses, a single livestream would hardly break even. However, as they had said, this was merely a pilot. If it performed well, further plans would surely follow.
For the young participants, it presented a fantastic opportunity.
Beyond making quick cash on the platform they built, performing well under such immense exposure to attract fans would let them establish their own personal accounts.
At that moment, A'mei walked over holding a stack of new contracts, a charming smile on her face.
"Everyone, if you decide to participate in the project, you'll need to sign this new three-day short-term livestream contract. Furthermore, the terms stipulate that by participating, our company will hold the right of first refusal for the commercial operation rights of your personal accounts for the next three years. We hope everyone understands. After all, with such a massive investment on our part, it would be a huge loss for us if you went viral only to sign with another agency. Of course, if you simply plan to return to focus on cultivation without engaging in commercial operations, it won't affect you in the slightest."
Even though it was only a three-day short-term agreement, the contract was a thick stack of papers. Since there was still inherent danger within the simulated wasteland zone, the document laid out numerous precautionary clauses alongside extensive legal jargon.
None of the young people present were experts in legal matters, and their eyes grew dizzy just glancing at the pages.
Ji Yang looked up and asked, "Can I take this back and have a lawyer look it over before deciding whether to sign?"
"Of course," He Caihua nodded. "Take your time to consider it, as long as you give me your answer before noon tomorrow. Tomorrow afternoon, we will gather at the company and head to the base, so please do not delay the livestream schedule."
Yue Wen naturally had no objections. He had come purely to make quick money; as long as the payout was sufficient, long-term or short-term contracts made no difference to him.
Yet after stowing the contract away and standing up, he noticed Zhao Xing'er beside him staring downward, lost in thought.
Pondering?
That was quite a rare expression on her.
...
Zhao Xing'er said nothing, however, and Yue Wen didn't pry.
After returning to the agency, he had Zhao Xing'er watch the shop as usual while he headed upstairs to cultivate.
Having witnessed the immortal sect disciples in battle, a few thoughts had crossed his mind. Compared to those well-resourced disciples, his repertoire of supernatural powers and sorcery was far too meager.
Wandering Dragon Freehand was useless outside melee combat, while the Thunder Roar Art and Flash Art were minor tricks that served little purpose outside specific situations. The only combat art he could truly rely on was his sword-control art.
Back when he casually took odd jobs handling minor evil entities, the circumstances were never overly complex, and a single strike of sword-control art was more than enough.
Lately, however, whenever he faced more intricate battles, his methods felt far too one-dimensional. Although this wasteland exploration was simulated, Wangyou Media had prepared actual demonic beasts inside, meaning it wasn't entirely free of danger.
He intended to find Da Long and buy another supernatural power for backup.
Of course, the primary motivation for spending wasn't a sense of deficiency—it was having money in his pocket.
Following that harvest beneath the Tiger Head Gang's premises, Yue Wen's savings of evil-suppressing coins had reached just over a hundred. Ever since, he had entertained the idea of acquiring another potent supernatural power.
Sinking his divine sense inward, he plunged into the realm housing the black-and-gold palace.
Seated high upon the colossal throne, King Dalong slowly opened his eyes. "You have been visiting quite frequently of late."
"Heh heh." Yue Wen chuckled. "I've had decent hauls over the past few days, so I'd like to buy another supernatural art."
"Tell me what type you seek, and I shall provide options," Da Long said.
"Today, I saw someone use a spell that lets their body meld into shadows, shifting and swapping positions with incredible agility," Yue Wen said. "I want a similar supernatural power—one that can evade attacks, preferably combine with strikes, and remain practical in complex environments."
"An escape art integrated with offensive capabilities?" Hearing his description, the scarlet-gold flames in Da Long's eyes flickered faster as a contemplative look crossed its face.
A moment later, it raised its dragon neck and unleashed a resonant, high-pitched roar. "*Hai—*"
As the dragon word struck his ears, a burst of intricate information materialized instantly in Yue Wen's mind. Sorting through it briefly, he reviewed its contents.
It was an introduction to three techniques.
Not only did it include textual and spoken explanations, but it even featured light-and-shadow effects akin to a video demonstration.
"First technique: Trackless Art.
"This is a pure stealth art capable of melding the caster into the light and shadows of their surroundings, enabling completely undetectable movement..."
A deep voice echoed beside Yue Wen's ear. It wasn't Da Long's voice, leaving him wondering who on earth had been hired to provide the voiceover narration.
Simultaneously, the corresponding play of light and shadow unfolded within Yue Wen's mind.
It depicted a primordial jungle, a chaotic and intricate environment surrounded by prowling demonic beasts, complete with shockingly realistic roars.
Yet after watching for a while, Yue Wen failed to notice the slightest change. He couldn't help asking, "Where's the demonstration? There's nothing here at all!"
As if responding to him, the voiceover chimed in at that precise moment: "The caster has already deployed the Trackless Art and traversed the entire jungle, completely unnoticed by the foolish beasts..."
"Wait, what?" Yue Wen scratched his head.
Not only had he seen nothing, but why did it feel like he had just been insulted?
The scene shifted, arriving at a street hemmed in by towering skyscrapers, bustling with heavy traffic.
The voice continued, "Arriving on a street teeming with even more pedestrians, the caster remains entirely undetected by anyone..."
This time, Yue Wen widened his eyes and stared intently for a long while, yet still failed to spot the slightest clue. "I know the Trackless Art is meant for concealment, but if you don't show the scene before and after the technique is cast, how do I know you didn't just grab a random piece of documentary footage to swindle me?"
The voiceover leisurely proceeded: "The caster has crossed the entire street and was even sent flying by a speeding bus, yet the frail passersby remain completely oblivious..."
"Sent flying? So a bus doesn't give a damn about your fancy stealth, huh?" Yue Wen buried his face in his hands. "And why do I feel like I'm being insulted again?"
The scene shifted once more, transforming into a room enclosed by pure white steel walls, with neat stacks of cash piled high in the center.
"Even after leaving complex environments for a bank vault with a monotonous color palette, no one has detected the caster's presence..." the voiceover recited.
Compared to the jungle and the street, this vault was indeed far simpler, meaning concealing one's presence should theoretically be much harder. The slightest flaw in a visual trick would be immediately obvious.
Yue Wen leaned in and examined it even more closely. He still couldn't detect any change in the surroundings, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the paper currency piled in the center was gradually diminishing.
Every few seconds, a massive stack of bills would vanish into thin air.
"I can't find where you're hiding, you bastard, but I sure as hell see you committing a crime!" Yue Wen shouted.
The scene transitioned yet again. The sound of running water splashed from all around, and through the nearby steam, the faint outline of a naked figure appeared.
Naturally, the crucial areas were heavily pixelated.
The voiceover remarked, "Having escaped—er, left the vault, arriving in another person's equally simple bathroom, our caster remains like a fish in water, wholly undetectable. For such a supernatural power, charging a mere sixty evil-suppressing coins—isn't that exceptionally generous?"
"Cut the crap! Do you really need this many demonstration scenarios? And even if you're demonstrating in a bathroom, couldn't you use your own?" Yue Wen roared in fury. "This isn't a technique meant for decent people to practice at all!"
Chapter 33