The appearance of the Grey Realm brought considerable pressure to the Great Flame, who was just beginning to gain a slight advantage in the north-south confrontation and wanted to recuperate.
After the initial wave of star beasts that burst out of the Secret Realm was dealt with, each city stabilized the Grey Realm’s connection points with the support of experts from the Sky Patrol Department, provincial city experts, and military experts.
However, even so, for some unknown reason, small numbers of Grey Realm star beasts would occasionally cross the passage and appear out of thin air in the cities.
This brought significant trouble to each city. Even if it was an apprentice-level star beast, once it entered a city full of ordinary people, the damage it could cause was unimaginable!
In the first couple of months following the emergence of the Grey Realm, all cities connected to the Grey Realm, as well as nearby cities, entered a state of high alert.
The shortcomings of the long battle lines during previous confrontations with the Northern Army by the Great Flame also became apparent, and manpower from the Sky Patrol Department and the military was quite limited.
They needed to be wary of the north, explore the Grey Realm, and protect the cities...
Especially with the star beasts occasionally appearing in cities. Even though each city had increased the intensity of their star energy detectors, the occasional appearance of star beasts from the Grey Realm caught people off guard.
Fortunately, at this time, students and civilian Star Card Masters from various regions spontaneously joined the efforts to protect the cities.
Although third-level cities did not have academies, and Star Card Masters were few, second-stage cities definitely had academies.
With the actions of students and civilian Star Card Masters, the Education Bureau collaborated with the Star Card Master Association to promptly issue corresponding incentive policies.
With a large influx of fresh forces, the situation in various regions was finally temporarily eased.
Meanwhile, countries also rapidly began discussions and explorations of the Grey Realm...
Qingming Realm, Qingming Peak.
As time flew by, it had been half a year since Su Yuan ascended Qingming Peak.
According to Ashley’s blueprints, Mo Fei had almost completed the transformation of the central area of the Qingming Realm.
Though encountering some problems, fortunately, Yang Yifeng woke up briefly in the middle and guided Mo Fei to complete the remaining works.
After completing the transformation, Mo Fei stopped to cultivate and consolidate his cultivation at the Jade Lotus Enlightenment Platform in front of the Holy Ancient Tree.
The jade used to construct the Jade Lotus Enlightenment Platform was not ordinary material. Before departing, Su Yuan handed over all star devices, star cards, materials, miscellaneous items, and other acquisitions from long-term battles to Ashley for sorting and management, permitting their use in the transformation of the New Dust Realm.
The jade used for the Jade Lotus Platforms was Level 4 Material, Qingchen Mingxin Jade, with functions to channel star power and calm the mind and spirit.
Having these during cultivation could increase the speed by half!
Of course, the cost was high. Currently, inside the Qingming Realm, apart from Yang Yifeng, there were Su Yuan, Ashley, Mo Fei, Ruan Ruan, and Antonios, five in total.
Therefore, Ashley prepared only six Jade Lotus Platforms, one for the head position, one for the assistant position, and the remaining four lined up below.
At this moment, the night was deep, and Mo Fei was still cultivating day and night with his eyes closed on one of the Jade Lotus Platforms.
The golden glow of the golden leaves from the Holy Ancient Tree and the gentle jade light on the Jade Lotus Platform slightly illuminated the night.
"Still as a rock, moving like thunder" described Mo Fei quite aptly.
Wild and fierce in battle, yet very patient in cultivation, he sat on the Jade Lotus Platform as unmoving as a stone.
Suddenly, in the originally quiet, chilly night, there seemed to be a few traces of heat.
Although Mo Fei had entered a deep level of cultivation, being a Legendary Star Beast, he remained extremely sensitive to energy, promptly opening his eyes.
Not to mention, this wave of heat was rapidly climbing at an astonishing speed!
Mo Fei’s whole body trembled; he immediately looked up toward the Qingming Peak and saw a blaze of incandescent light becoming hotter and brighter on the peak.
"Master, something’s happening!"
Mo Fei vaguely guessed what it was, hurriedly stopping his cultivation and stood up, staring closely above.
On Qingming Peak, Su Yuan stood with eyes tightly shut, his silver hair flying without wind, the whole body emitting an increasingly intense and bright radiance as if a morning sun was about to break out!
At this moment, Su Yuan stood up, stepping through empty stairs, ascending step by step into the sky.
With each step, Su Yuan’s aura soared, and the blazing light on his body became even more dazzling and radiant.
Until Su Yuan walked higher and higher, and the Qingming Realm, which had been shrouded in night, started to dawn into brightness.
Moments later, when Su Yuan took his final step, it was like the dawn tearing through the night sky, a blazing sun bursting with endless brilliance, suddenly hanging behind Su Yuan, lighting up the entire Qingming!
"Boom!!"
The terrifying ripple, several times more potent than Radiant Moon, surged violently, the Phoenix Vein cried out, shaking the entire Qingming Realm.
"He did it! Master... Burning Sun!!"
Mo Fei’s eyes widened, body trembling with excitement, ten or even a hundred times happier than when he broke through to Full Moon Level himself!
At this time, high in the sky, Su Yuan opened his eyes; his gaze was searing, the radiant flames transformed by star power rising from the corners of his eyes.
With a thought, the great sun anomaly behind Su Yuan flared one last time before gradually gathering and dissipating.
Looking around, within the Qingming Realm, the sky was clear, and the night did not return.
Because the new sun... had been born!
Su Yuan looked at the flourishing Qingming Realm below, a feeling of utter triumph surging to his heart.
"Upon entering this realm, one rises like a fish or dragon, the vast world is open for exploration!"
The star sea within him was like a great sun, inexhaustible and boundless in its might!
More accurately, at this moment, the star sea had vanished, entirely consumed to transform into the blazing sun for the Sea Moon Ascension.