Grand Desolate Ground. A plane that is made up of 5 continents, each in the cardinal direction. As usual, the strongest ones originate from the Central Continent. It is due to its energy concentration that many combatants could successfully be born there.
Apart from some secrets that I learned through [Truth-Piercing Eyes], I learned that this plane should be a High-grade plane. At best, it should be a Top-grade plane since it can nurture a Pseudo-Sage Rank.
What's more strange in this is that this place doesn't seem to be supported by its corresponding System Wills, but it can nurture someone of that rank. This plane is also considered an 'Immortal Realm' and is connected to lower-grade planes/planets.
It seems that we've accidentally entered the late-stage setting of a book.
"Here's the pay."
"Mhm. Come visit again."
The bookstore owner said perfunctorily as he continued reading a book in his hands. But then, even this seemingly lazy owner is actually a Human Immortal! It corresponded to the Low-Rank Deity Realm that I know of.
I left this bookstore and decided to visit some more places. Along the way, I saw many people walking on the streets. Even many Human Immortals abide by this rule.
As for the delicacies that I saw, I never had any intention of eating them. Who knows just what is its true form. Moreover, they all have that "corrupted" state, scaring me further. Though, some items that were placed by the stalls caught my eyes.
[Heavenly Dao Canon-- Volume 1 (Damaged) (Low God Rank)]
[Scholar Yunzi's Glasses (Damaged) (Intermediate God Rank)]
[Overlord Spear (Damaged) (Advanced God Rank)]
...
Most of the time, I saw many items that were either a projection or corrupted. With that, I took my time finding some uncorrupted ones. What's interesting is that All of the uncorrupted ones are damaged. They might've fought back against the corruption and survived until today?
Sadly, no one could see its true value.
"I'll take this."
I threw a Top-grade spirit stone (Corrupted) on him, the kind that Demigods use. He seemed very surprised, but I already left the scene.
I did this a few more times, careful enough to not arouse any suspicions. I also bought some normal items to disguise what I've bought. Sometimes, I left quickly, but I also acted like a normal gambler who would be willing to try getting that jackpot.
Though, what I expected to happen occurred.
"Fellow Daoist, wait!"
A female cultivator in a red outfit chased after me. She's too conspicuous due to her beauty, causing other people to talk about her.
"Isn't that Fairy Liu, the great appraiser? Who is she chasing after?"
"I don't know, it's the first time I saw her like that."
God, another famous person? But I'm sure that I used a very normal guy's appearance though?
[Liu Ruolan (Half-Projection State)]
Rank: Low-Rank Deity (???)
Comprehension: ??? Grade (??? Grade)
Body: ???
Spirit: ???
Mind: ???
[Authority]
???
As a Deity Realm, the panel's appraisal couldn't see through them completely. It can also be seen here that the "Latent Potential" part is changed with "Comprehension". Because as long as you ascend into a Deity, there'll be no more potential and the likes. What would matter is your "Comprehension", the one thing that can't be measured when you're below Deity Realm.
'Wait, half-projection? And she has those parenthesis besides Rank and Comprehension. This means that the current her is either sealed or severely injured!'
As expected, she went ahead and blocked me. A Low-Rank Deity's speed isn't something that I can surpass without any God-Rank sealing cards.
Of course, I acted very surprised.
"Y-yes?"
"Can you come with me?"
"Miss?"
She hurriedly used a Mystical Power to drag me away from this city. The moment I opened my eyes, I am inside a room. It looked like a woman's room, but it's actually plastered with so many arrays inside.
"How? How did you do it?"
"What d-do you mean?"
"Discerning the normal things over those strange ones!"
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It seems that she didn't think that I'm from another dimension.
"Sigh.. You can do it too? Everything felt so strange after I exited my seclusion!"
"How long are you out here?"
"3 days."
I fabricated a story right in the bat. With the info that I have right now, I could try doing this first.
"Where are you during seclusion?"
"The Thousand Beast Mountain range. I am an itinerant cultivator."
"Did you find anything strange out there?"
"Hmm? The beasts that I saw along the way are strange, too."
"It seems like I'm not the only one."
She heaved a sigh of relief after hearing that.
"Listen. The entire Grand Desolate Ground, it's not the same anymore."
"Excuse me?"
"Ever since 500 years ago, I found the world strange. It was at that time that I exited my seclusion and became a Human Immortal."
"Fairy, what are you planning to do?"
"Let's work together."
"Work together? I'm fine with that."
We talked more about future plans and such. Before she brought me back outside, she had that expression of relief. Thankfully, she chose a very secluded place. I can't handle any more of that attention...
To be honest, I don't trust her. A man whom she met for the first time is entrusted with her plans? She didn't even observe some more and directly talked to me after seeing my ability to distinguish non-projection things!
There's no such Low-Rank Deity who would make a low-level mistake like that.
After changing my appearance yet again, I continued buying those damaged things. Since it's only damaged, I can repair it with the panel. Looking at it, I am making a profit instead.
Buying real things for those free corrupted spirit stones is a big win.
During the process of buying those from the stalls, I changed my disguise multiple times with my mannerisms. With that, they should think that it's not me.
I swiftly left the city and headed back to the ship. I don't feel safe resting in this place filled with those monsters.
Thankfully, I was able to get back without any hiccups. After entering the ship, I removed my disguise. Leader Irna greeted me first.
"Welcome back. Did you find anything?"
"Apart from the 'distorted' beings, yes."
"Whoa, how do they look like?"
"I would prefer if you see it yourself.."
I spoke informally to Maen. He asked me to do so before, so I am now used to it.
"Leader, look at this."
I showed her the [Overlord Spear (Damaged)].
"This is an Advanced God Rank artifact."
"Advanced God Rank.."
Instead of being excited over a damaged God Rank artifact that could be repaired quite easily, she frowned. As expected of leader, she knew the underlying meaning behind this.
"Except for that, how many God Ranked artifacts did you find?"
"It's in the hundreds."
Silence.
In their minds, it only meant one thing: They got into an extremely powerful world in the Distortion Plane, the plane filled with dangers the stronger the surroundings.
"Fuck."
Maen let out a low curse in this silence.